


Got Lost Into the Sea

by fleurdeliser, ohnoktcsk, tuesdaysgone



Category: Comics Industry RPF, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Barebacking, Ghosts, M/M, Original Legends, Polyamory, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 16:13:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurdeliser/pseuds/fleurdeliser, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohnoktcsk/pseuds/ohnoktcsk, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuesdaysgone/pseuds/tuesdaysgone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frank and Gerard ran away to the islands, and now they co-own a diving business with their friend Shaun. They're living the good life on Great Inagua, and Grant Morrison, writer of esoteric novels about magic frequently set in the Caribbean, is a regular with them. While he's researching a new book, he discovers mentions of a fascinating shipwreck that's a little farther out than Frank and Gerard's normal haunts; he hires them to take him out to the location. Close quarters on a boat lead to some interesting discoveries - and that's in addition to the ghosts and shipwrecks they were expecting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Got Lost Into the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of Bandom Big Bang and therefore had a mix created for it. Please follow the link at the end of the story and tell erikasue how great it is! 
> 
> Many thanks to Ande for betaing this at the last minute for us!

Gerard throws the rope onto the dock as Frank maneuvers the _Elena Lee_ into position. Frank jumps out and ties her off, then stretches his arms above his head. They've been out all day and he’s ready to go home. 

They finish putting the boat to bed and walk home as the sun is setting over the pier. Frank starts banging around in the kitchen fixing dinner while Gerard checks the company email. 

"Another message from Grant," he calls out. "Looks like he's coming out again soon." 

"Awesome," Frank enthuses. He throws some garlic into the pan he's heated on the stove. "He going to be here for long?" 

"He says two weeks. Maybe plus. Got some charts attached to the email but I can't open them on the tablet." 

"Must be working on a book again." 

"Wonder if we'll get another cameo?" Gerard muses. 

Frank grins at him as he adds veggies to the pan. "The moonlight glinted off the dark water," he quotes. "'The roguish diver pushed away from the boat, silently motioning for the writer to follow...’" 

Gerard laughs. "Who says you're the roguish one?" 

"Gerard. Everyone knows I'm the roguish one. The _fish_ know I'm the roguish one." 

"Yeah, yeah, Frankie. You look like a real punk in that wetsuit." 

"Maybe not in a wetsuit. But I don't wear those all the time. And you know you like the way I look in a wetsuit," he murmurs. The blush high on Gerard's cheeks isn't as visible as it would have been, once upon a time before Frank had stolen him away to live under the sun, but Frank totally knows it's there anyway. 

He smiles over his shoulder at Gerard, and Gerard rolls his eyes and presses up against Frank's back. "A couple of weeks of diving and shepherding Grant to islands. Sounds like a vacation to me." Grant has made something like a bazillion dollars on his books. He pays really well, and he's much more fun than the typical charter client. 

Frank laughs and takes the stir-fry off the stove. "Maybe he's found a sunken pirate ship or something." 

"Dude, that would be awesome," Gerard says. "I should get the laptop out and open the charts. See what we're in for." 

Frank raises an eyebrow. "I know what you're in for right now." 

"Dinner?" Gerard taunts, stealing a piece of broccoli out of the skillet. Frank swats his hand and takes the skillet to the table. Gerard grabs plates and glasses and silverware. 

"After dinner, though," Frank says and tugs Gerard to him when he sets down the place settings. "Whaddaya say?" 

"What do I always say?" Gerard says, grinning. 

"I dunno, you're kind of an enigma," says Frank, swatting at Gerard's ass. 

"We better eat, or it's going to sit on the table getting cold. Again," Gerard says with a big grin. 

Frank rolls his eyes and dishes food onto their plates. One of Shaun's chihuahuas wanders in from the yard and sits on Frank's foot. Frank cranes his neck to look across the yard, but Shaun's apartment lights are out. 

"When did Grant say he'd be coming in?" Frank asks, once they're settled. "I should wash the sheets in the guest room." 

"Three weeks," Gerard replies. "He claimed he has a hotel room at the resort, but I'm telling him that's stupid." 

"Not like he's gonna be sleeping in our guest room much either," Frank says, then frowns. "I mean. If we'll be out on the boat." 

Gerard raises an eyebrow, feigning shock. "What are you implying, Iero? Do you have designs on a certain Scotsman's virtue?" 

Frank laughs. "If he still has any virtue, I will eat your horrible straw hat." 

"Shut up," Gerard says. 

"You shut up," Frank replies. "And there are no designs, you dirty-minded man. I just have designs on you." 

That's... not strictly true. Frank may have a few designs on Grant. Of course, they all involve Gerard, too.

Gerard grins at him. "I like that. Eat." Frank shoots him a dirty smile and picks up his fork. 

Gerard does pull up the charts on their laptop after dinner, and hums at them a lot while Frank is doing dishes, and that makes Frank want to go over and hang on his shoulders and nibble on his ear. So he does. Gerard reaches up and slides a hand into Frank's hair. 

"It's after dinner," Frank murmurs. Gerard tugs and brings Frank's mouth close enough for a kiss. Gerard's lips are chapped, and his cheeks are a little bit rough from a day or two without shaving, and Frank wants him so much it's crazy. 

"Bedroom?" Frank whispers. "We have three weeks to look at those charts." 

"No, but these are -" Gerard protests. 

"And I _am_ hard. See?" He rubs his hips against Gerard. "Come on, Gee, wanna fuck you." 

Gerard gasps a little, and his fingers tighten in Frank's hair. Frank slides a hand down the loose neck of Gerard's t-shirt and rolls one of his nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Gerard moans. "C'mon, Gee."

"I don't get how you can always, always do this," Gerard says wonderingly. But he shuts the laptop and sets it aside. 

Frank tugs Gerard to his feet. "I know you, baby." 

"Yeah," Gerard replies and finally lets Frank pull him back to their bedroom. 

It took Gerard a while, when they moved here, to stop wearing so many clothes. Eventually he did, and Frank loves it. For lots of reasons, not the least of which being it's way faster to get short-shorts and a fucked-up t-shirt off him when they want to fuck. 

"Look at you," he says softly, trailing his fingers over brush burns, tan lines, and the still-surprising lean muscles. Gerard stretches his arms up over his head and tilts his head up, exposing the soft expanse of his throat. Frank smiles and leans in, slides his lips down Gerard's jaw and sucks lightly at the skin of his neck. Gerard wraps his arms around Frank and tugs him back onto the bed. 

"I am totally going to get you back for this morning," Frank whispers in his ear. 

"Mmmm," Gerard says, "yeah? You didn't like it when I woke you up with my mouth?" 

"I didn't like that you woke me up at five thirty am with your mouth and then proceeded to go back to sleep and left me _awake,_ " Frank replies. 

"This is how sorry I am," Gerard says, kissing Frank's neck just where he fucking likes it. 

"Your fucking mouth, Gee," Frank groans. He feels Gerard smirk against his skin, and then he starts sucking. Frank pushes his fingers into Gerard's hair and holds him there. 

"I'm going to put you into a painting one of these days," he tells Frank. "Naked and colorful." 

"Want me to pose for you, baby?" Frank asks. "On the dock, maybe? Just you and your paints, and me..."

"And the rest of the village would come watch," Gerard says with a laugh. "Ms. Manda would be particularly appreciative." 

"Gerard," Frank says sternly, "I am trying to fuck you here, stop talking about 80-year-old ladies." 

"Maybe you're just not trying hard enough," Gerard suggests with a filthy smile. Frank grabs Gerard's wrists and pins them over his head. He bites down on Gerard's neck lightly. Gerard, predictably, shudders and pushes into it. 

Frank laughs. "Okay. Carrying on." 

Gerard looks at him through half-lowered eyelids. Frank leans down and sucks at the spot he bit for a minute, then reaches for the lube on the bedside table. Gerard's hips twitch up again and Frank smiles. "Yeah, you want it bad, don't you, babe?" 

"Of fucking course," Gerard says, rearranging himself on the bed. 

"Getting comfortable, princess?" Frank teases, opening the lube and slicking his fingers. 

"Hurry the fuck up, Iero," Gerard says. Frank smirks and, because he's an asshole, reaches down and rubs a single finger lightly over Gerard's entrance. Gerard whines again and pushes into it. 

"So fucking easy for me," Frank murmurs. 

"Always," Gerard gasps. "C'mon, Frankie." Frank gives him a finger, crooks it gently as he thrusts it in and out. Gerard lets out these breathy little sounds, "ah" and "oh" and "yeah, Frankie, more." Frank gives him a second finger. He keeps his strokes slow and uses his free hand to stroke over the rest of Gerard's skin. 

"You get more beautiful every day," he whispers. 

"You," Gerard replies. "You, you, _you._ " 

Frank leans down to kiss Gerard's chest and gives him a third finger. "So lucky," he whispers. 

"Stop teasing," Gerard gasps. "Please." Frank pulls out his fingers and slicks himself up. Gerard pulls his knees back against his chest and spreads himself wide. 

"Fuck, Gee," Frank breathes and lines up. He sinks in. Every time, he loses himself in it. In Gerard and how much he gives, how much they both feel. He kisses Gerard's knee and presses his forehead against Gerard's chest. "Fuck, Gee. Feel so good. Always." 

"Always," Gerard replies, linking their fingers. "Frank -" his voice cracks. 

"Love you," Frank breathes. "So much." He never knew it could be like this before Gerard. 

"I love you," Gerard replies. Frank thrusts harder, keeping his strokes smooth and even. Gerard wraps his legs around Frank's waist, his arms around Frank's shoulders and moves with him. Frank lifts his head and kisses Gerard. Fuck, he feels so fucking good. 

"I love our life," he murmurs, thrusting a few more times, then sitting up and pulling Gerard with him. 

"Yeah," Gerard moans and grinds down onto Frank's cock. "Fuck, Frankie." 

"Gonna come, Gee?" Frank whispers, kissing his throat. 

"Yesssss," Gerard hisses. "So close. Gimme your hand? Don't need much more." Frank wraps a hand around Gerard's cock and lets him thrust up into a loose grip. 

"Gonna lick up every drop," Frank murmurs. 

"Oh fuck," Gerard gasps and comes hard into Frank's hand, clenching around his cock. Frank thrusts up hard, pressing his face into Gerard's neck, and it's no time at all before he comes too. And licks his hand and Gerard's stomach clean, because Frank keeps all his promises—especially that kind.

Gerard runs his hands through Frank's hair over and over. "I think I can sleep now," he whispers. "With you." 

"You better," Frank says against his cheek. "You owe me sleep after waking me up this morning."

"We can look more at those charts in the morning," Gerard replies, sliding off his lap and snuggling back into the pillows, reaching for Frank. 

"Mmm," Frank murmurs as he wraps his arm over Gerard's chest and mashes his face against Gerard's shoulder. "Sounds good." It's not late, but they are hilariously early risers these days. And they have a charter tomorrow. Every day an adventure, Frank thinks with a drowsy smile. 

 

***

 

The sun is just rising over the little inlet where the docks are when they get to the _Elena Lee_. It's not particularly cold, but Gerard is wearing a hoodie anyway. Mornings require hoodies. Especially when he has to deal with spring break frat boys later in the day. He takes a long sip of coffee from his travel mug and sighs happily when Frank presses up against his side. 

"It's just a half-day charter," Frank tells him, proving once again that he can read Gerard's mind. 

Gerard breathes out and presses his cheek against Frank's shoulder. "Yeah. They'll probably be nice. I always dread these things more than I need to." 

"I'll fuckin' toss them overboard if they suck," Frank promises. 

"My knight in shining armor," Gerard says, kissing Frank's cheek. 

Shaun saunters up a few minutes later and quietly starts running through the pre-charter checklist. "At least they're the kind of frat boys who want to go out and see stuff," Shaun muses randomly. "Like, imagine if this was a bar or a surf shop or something." 

Gerard shudders. "No thanks." Shaun would know even better than they do, though. He does IT part-time at the resort across the island. They owe him plenty of customers, but Gerard doesn't envy him the exposure to spring breakers. 

When their customers arrive at the docks, they turn out to be a trio of engineering majors, two of whom are definitely hungover, but seem excited enough about the trip out to the reef. Gerard starts his boat safety lecture as Shaun pulls away from the dock. 

"Now, I know CPR," he says at the end. "But last night I was definitely sucking Frank's cock, so maybe you should take that into consideration before doing something stupid." That startles a genuine laugh out of the frat boys and Gerard smiles. Yeah, maybe this will be okay. Frank just shakes his head from the stern where he's checking the equipment locker, but Gerard knows he's just as likely to bait potential jackasses as Gerard is. 

It's a forty-five minute trip out to the little uninhabited island and its fringing reef where they'll be docked for the afternoon. Gerard spends it in conversation with the kids. They really are pretty decent dudes. And when one of them admits that they chose their island, and booked a trip with them, partially because of the acknowledgements in one of Grant's books, Gerard likes them even more. 

He steps back and lets Frank do his thing when they get there. Frank is some sort of fucking fish savant, for all that he came to it later in life. Frank gets the kids wet-suited up and, after the standard "don't be a dick to the reef" speech, jumps off the boat backwards into the water. Gerard rolls his eyes, but the kids whoop and jump out after him, a mess of snorkels and fins. 

Sometimes Gerard joins them, but today he pulls out his sketchbook and starts drawing. "Yo! Gauguin!" Shaun says as if he's been trying to get Gerard's attention for a while. 

Gerard wrinkles his nose. "I don't beat women. Also, I don't have syphilis. And this isn't Polynesia." 

"Whatever," Shaun says with a wave of his hand. "When did you say Grant will be here?" 

"He's supposed to get in Thursday after next," Gerard replies.

"You're not going to need me, are you?" Shaun asks. He doesn't typically go out on the multi-day charters. 

"Nah. It's just Grant. I'm sure he'll want to see you, but you can visit while he's staying at the house." 

Shaun waggles his eyebrows, because Shaun is an asshole. "You sure you're going to want company?" 

Gerard rolls his eyes. "He's a friend, Shaun." 

"A friend you have a great big crush on," Shaun says. 

"Nope, not me. Maybe Frank. It's not a big deal, Shaun." 

It could be a big deal, if Gerard ever really let himself think about it. But when Grant is actually around, Gerard is much too enraptured by his presence to consider it (sure it's _Frank_ with the crush, sure it is) and when he's not, it's... well, why play with fire? 

Shaun clearly doesn't really buy it either. "Whatever you say, Gee," Shaun replies. "Anyway, what's he got you hunting for this time? A sunken Victorian submarine? Or, ooh, maybe he's got a lead on the lost city of Atlantis?" 

Gerard smiles. "Don't know yet," he says. "We have the charts, so we know _where_ we're going, but not what we're looking for. Atlantis would be bad fucking ass, though." 

"Keep dreaming," Shaun says. "Have you thought any more about that gallery show I told you about?" 

Gerard nods. "Thought about it, yeah. I have a couple of ideas." He looks out over the water and sees Frank gesturing to something, motioning one of the kids to come over and look. Frank's tattoos and his tanned skin stand out in stark contrast to the gray of his wet suit, and Gerard's hands itch for paint. "A couple of ideas," he repeats. 

"Gauguin," Shaun says with a laugh. 

Gerard just rolls his eyes. "None of us are exactly natives. He looks beautiful, though." 

It's Shaun's turn to roll his eyes. "If you say so. If you want me to look at some of your old canvases, I will." 

"I'll let you know," Gerard promises. He flips to a new page in his sketchbook. It's a good day. Warm, relaxed, happy. Most days are like that now. Gerard can't say he minds. 

They owe a lot to their grandmothers. The cottage, to Lillian. The boat, to Elena. The life - and business - that they built is their own, though. Deciding to do this, to leave lives they weren't happy with and to make something new for themselves, has led to more good things than Gerard ever believed he'd get to have. It's not anything like he ever imagined his life would be. He's okay with that. 

Frank shepherds the college kids back on board after a few hours. He's got the front of his wetsuit unzipped nearly to his waist, and Gerard just has to waylay him while Shaun is getting out food from their coolers. Frank's skin is cold from the water, but his mouth is warm. 

"Been looking at you all day," he murmurs against Frank's lips. "So damn gorgeous." He slides his hands up Frank's bare chest. "You can't send them off again with Shaun, can you?" he murmurs. 

"What part of half-day charter are you forgetting?" 

Gerard bites at the cool skin of Frank's collarbone. "Not my fault you're so fucking irresistible." 

Frank laughs breathlessly. "Seriously, Gee. When we get home tonight." 

"Wanna blow you _now_ ," Gerard says. It's practically whining. 

"Fuck you. I want that too, but I also want to eat because I've been in the water for hours." 

"Tonight." And this is why Gerard likes when they're alone on the boat, dammit. 

Gerard kisses Frank again, long and lingering, until Shaun threatens to hose them down if they don't stop being disgustingly in love in front of the paying customers. "There's a whole ocean out there to look at," Gerard says mildly, but he lets go of Frank so he can go get some food. He catches one of the boys staring and is ninety-seven percent certain he wouldn't have minded the show. Gerard grabs a can of diet coke and a sandwich for himself and sits back in his seat. 

After lunch, they move the boat to a different part of the reef. The coral is more spaced out here, which means bigger fish, reef sharks, and manta rays. The manta rays are Gerard's favorite, and anyway, it's getting hot, so he suits up and heads in with them. It's weird and beautiful, and he always forgets how much he loves it. It's like a whole different world down here. It always makes him feel an odd kinship with the creators of The Little Mermaid. He wants to tell stories about it all. 

When it's finally time to turn the boat back towards Great Inagua, the kids are obviously exhausted, but they're cheerfully giving each other shit about being scared of sharks and jellyfish. Frank flops into the seat next to Gerard and presses all up against his side. "Another happy customer," he murmurs. "Now we stock up for Grant, yeah?" 

"Yup," Gerard replies. "We have a full day on Monday, but other than that, it's getting everything outfitted for a week out." 

"Fuck, this is going to be fun." 

Gerard squeezes Frank's hand and grins.

Gerard takes over on the ride back, telling the kids a mix of local legends and totally fucking shameless tall tales. The one who's read Grant's books has probably heard some of them, but Gerard likes to think he has a flair for storytelling too. They seem entertained at any rate. And all the boys thank them profusely when they deposit them on dry land. 

They set Shaun loose a little early, which he tells them is only his due for putting up with their constant PDA. Frank punches him in the arm; Shaun retaliates with a playful shove, and it quickly escalates into a brawl that ends with both of them tumbling off the boat and into the inlet. It's a common enough occurrence that Gerard barely bats an eyelid anymore. Well. Until Frank is back out of the water and wrapping his wet self around Gerard in a full-body hug. 

"Fuck you, I was dry," Gerard whines. 

"You love me," Frank shoots back, smug. 

"So not the point, asshole," Gerard replies. But his arms snake around Frank's waist of their own accord. 

"I'm leaving," Shaun shouts, from where he's waded up onto the shore. 

"You're an asshole too!" Gerard yells after Shaun. Shaun flips him off over his shoulder and Gerard laughs. 

"Come on," Frank says, once Shaun's disappeared in the direction of the village. "Let's put the boat to bed. She'll need her rest, for whatever fucking crazy thing Grant's going to have us chasing next week." 

They work fast after that. They have years of practice at this point. They stop at their favorite little beachside cafe on the way back to their cottage and have dinner at a table on the sand as the sun starts sinking low in the sky. Their waiter is Jonny, Ms. Manda's grandson, and he has waited on them so many times that he doesn't even ask if they want refills, just keeps their glasses full. He lights the little hurricane candle on their table when the sunset comes. 

Frank's drinking something with tequila in it and talking about supplies. Gerard stares at him, his silhouette against the stars starting to brighten in the sky, the orange sunset fading on the horizon. "You're really not listening to me, are you?" Frank asks after a while. 

"Nope," Gerard says. "I was thinking about your dick, actually." 

"Well. That's romantic." 

"If it helps, I started thinking about your dick because I was thinking about how accidentally romantic this all is," Gerard says with a smile. 

Frank smirks. "Sure, babe. Whatever you say." But he reaches across the table to grab Gerard's hand and squeezes it, tight. 

Gerard catches Jonny's eye and signals for their bill. He gives Jonny his credit card and tries not to be overly antsy waiting to sign so they can fucking go home. "Gonna blow you," Gerard says quietly. 

"Fuck, yeah," says Frank. "Want you to. Want you to put your mouth all over me." 

"Till you can't fucking stand it," Gerard tells him. 

Jonny clears his throat next to them. Gerard laughs and signs his name with a flourish. He takes Frank's hand as they walk back home. 

They're barely in the door before Frank is on top of Gerard, pinning him up against the wall and pressing close. "Get naked for me," Gerard reminds him. Frank pulls his shirt off and throws it away from them, then goes for his pants. Gerard gets rid of his own shirt and watches Frank shimmy out of his jeans. "Yeah," Gerard breathes, eyes sweeping up and down Frank's body. He's got the same feeling in his gut that he had this afternoon on the boat; the difference is, this time they're alone, and they have all the time in the world. 

"How do you want me?" Frank drawls. 

"Right here," Gerard replies and sinks to his knees on the hard tile floor of their living room like he wanted to do on the boat. He bites at the ink on Frank's thighs, cupping his hands around the backs to keep Frank close; it's the ink that nobody but Gerard ever gets to see, even now that Frank seems to spend more time in swim trunks than out of them. "Fuck my mouth," he urges, even though he's not quite there, not yet. Gerard wraps his lips around the head of Frank's cock and works his tongue around it. He's getting firmer in Gerard's mouth and Gerard fucking loves it. Frank smells like salt; like sweat, and like the ocean. 

Gerard hums around Frank's cock as Frank fists a hand in Gerard's hair, moaning. Fuck, it's his favorite thing to do. At least today, after wanting it all day. And Frank's fucking moans are always, always his favorite thing to hear. He takes a deep breath through his nose and goes down further, takes as much of Frank in as he possibly can. Above him, Frank is breathing hard, and Gerard can tell that he's already getting close by the way his hips kick, by the way his fists tighten in Gerard's hair. 

"Fuck, I'm never going to last," Frank pants. "Fuck you, for being such a fucking hotass; been waiting for this all day." 

Gerard chuckles in his throat, tightening his hands on Frank's hips. He tastes so fucking good. He swallows around Frank's cock and bobs his head back and forth. 

"Gee," Frank gasps. His fingers tighten in Gerard's hair hard enough to hurt and Gerard moans. "Oh fuck," Frank moans, "oh fuck, Gee, baby, come on-" 

Gerard sucks harder and slips his fingertips back between Frank's cheeks to tease at his entrance. Frank keens and comes hard down Gerard's throat. Gerard keeps his tongue moving, his fingers teasing, and he keeps swallowing until Frank is spent. 

Frank doesn't loosen his hold on Gerard's hair right away; he sags a bit and pants, loud in the quiet dark of their little house. "Gee," he whimpers. "Tell me what you want." 

"Your hand," Gerard replies. "Like you would have on the boat this afternoon." 

"I would have," Frank agrees, still a little breathless. "Get up here." 

Gerard stands and Frank pushes him around so his back is against the wall again and pushes the waistband of his shorts down. Gerard moans. "All fucking day, Frankie." 

"You're so fucking gorgeous," Frank tells him. "All sprawled out under the sun, in your fucking Hawaiian shirt, watching me..." 

"Can't stop," Gerard responds as Frank wraps a hand around his cock. "Fuck, Frankie." 

"And then you got in the water," Frank murmurs, right in Gerard's ear, jacking him slow and sweet. 

"I like your stupid fish," Gerard admits with a gasp. 

Frank chuckles warmly. "I like _you_." Gerard's hips kick out without his permission, but Frank's pressed up against him, and Frank doesn't let him go far. "C'mon, baby," says Frank, kissing the skin below Gerard's ear. Gerard shoves a hand into Frank's hair and pulls his mouth close. 

"Just a little more," Gerard tells him and crushes their lips together. 

Frank bites at Gerard's lip. "Gonna give you everything." 

"Already did," Gerard whispers and thrusts into Frank's hand. Frank slides his tongue into Gerard's mouth and drags his thumb over the head of Gerard's cock. Gerard kisses Frank desperately, groaning, panting into Frank's mouth. He's so fucking close. Frank's hand, his mouth, feel so good; all it takes is two more strokes and he comes in Frank's hand, moaning against his mouth. 

"Love you," Frank murmurs. 

Gerard tugs the hand he's got fisted in Frank's hair and tips their foreheads together, and they breathe like that for a while. He moans again, quietly this time, when Frank lifts his hand to his mouth and licks it clean while watching Gerard's face. He tugs Frank in for a kiss when he's done, tastes himself on Frank's tongue, and moans again. 

"Jesus fuck, how are you still so hot?" Gerard says when he finally pulls back. 

"You know what they say about living in the tropics," Frank tells him. 

"Do I?" Gerard lazily scoops up their clothes and steers Frank toward the bedroom. 

"Everything is hotter in the tropics," he says and throws a smirk over his shoulder at Gerard. 

Gerard laughs and pulls Frank down onto their bed. "You're a fucking weirdo, Iero, but I'm pretty crazy about you." 

"Good. You're stuck with me," Frank murmurs, rubbing his face against Gerard's chest.

 

***

 

Taking the tiny plane over to the island is old hat for Grant at this point, but he enjoys it every fucking time. Even when the landing is rough like it was today. Besides, he thinks as the plane taxis back to the tiny shack the locals call the airport (complete with air quotes), when he gets off the plane Frank and Gerard will be there. 

It's been several months since his last trip out to Great Inagua, but it's never far from his thoughts—and not only because it's figured so prominently in his last few books. He's been sharing the plane with a couple of newlyweds, bound for the resort on the other end of the island. Grant tells them he's staying with friends, which is...true. Just not the whole truth. Sometimes, he just doesn't want to bother explaining the whole thing. Certainly not on a noisy plane to a couple who are clearly going to forget about him the moment they're out of his presence. 

Even so, Grant wishes the couple well as they de-plane; they'll be enjoying the island's charms in their own way, just as he will. Though, he muses as he scans the tarmac for familiar faces, the charms he'll be exploring aren't found on any honeymoon brochure.

He spots Gerard's hair first. It's an orangey-red color that makes Grant smile. He's wearing a ratty Hawaiian shirt and miniscule cutoffs and leaning back against their jeep, and Frank is there beside him as he always is. Grant adjusts the strap of his bag on his shoulder. The rest of his luggage will be unloaded in a few minutes, but for now he catches Gerard's attention with a wave. 

Gerard's face lights up, and he calls, "Grant!" Grant grins back. Fuck, he'd come here just to see the two of them, never mind anything else. 

"Hi Grant," Frank says when Grant gets near. They both pull him into a hug and then Frank takes Grant's bag and puts it in the car. "Let's see how long it takes George to unload the plane _this_ time." 

"No bets. He always saves my gear for last." 

"Because you bring more books than clothes," Gerard says, then bites his lip. "I mean -" 

"Have you made the charters clothing-optional and not informed me?" Grant teases. Gerard is adorable. Always has been. 

"Shaun keeps vetoing my proposals," Frank tells him, mock-serious. "I think it would drive up sales, but he just won't listen." 

"More fool him," Grant says with a grin and leans against the jeep next to Gerard. "Fuck, I missed this place." 

"It's not the same without you," Gerard tells him. 

Grant laughs. "Quieter, perhaps? I can't imagine you get many clients leading you on the kind of mad treasure hunts you let me subject you to." 

"Well, sometimes people want to see sunken ships and stuff. So we show them everything we visited with you," Frank says. 

"I see. Is there a Morrison tour? Should I be getting some sort of royalties?" 

"Oh, I got your royalties," Frank snarks, then focuses on the middle distance. "I see your luggage. Be right back." 

Grant chuckles, and Gerard knocks their shoulders together as they watch Frank liberate Grant's bags. "We definitely get more people out here because of your books," Gerard tells him quietly. 

"Really?" he asks. 

Gerard nods. "Just a couple of weeks ago we had a group of spring break kids. One of them read the acknowledgements." 

Grant can't help but be delighted. "You deserve it." 

"I don't know. We sort of like not being busy." 

Grant gapes at him. "That is a fucking lie, Gerard Way." 

"Yeah, yeah." Gerard shrugs, grinning adorably. "But more time for... other things, you know?" His eyes flick back to Frank. 

Grant laughs. "The two of you." 

"The two of us what?" Frank asks when he walks up with Grant's luggage. 

"I'm waiting to find out," Gerard says, twirling the jeep keys around a finger. 

"Christ, fine. The two of you are fucking perfect for each other," Grant laughs. "But I think you're already very aware of that fact, aren't you?" 

Frank grins. "We are. And we are very aware of how lucky we are." He leans in and kisses Gerard quickly and Grant just has to smile. 

"You're not grilling me on my charts yet, I'm devastated," Grant continues. 

"We thought we'd at least buy you dinner first," says Frank. 

"Can't argue with that," Grant replies. "I'm fucking starving." 

"Time travel does that," Gerard says with a very... Gerard smile. "Were you coming from the past or the future?" 

"The past," he replies. "I've been in LA the last few weeks. Endless meetings. Everything's so fucking plastic out there; this place is a welcome change." 

"Gerard wanted to move to LA. I put my foot down. If we're gonna move to somewhere with good weather, we might as well go big or go home," Frank says. 

"You certainly aren't plastic," Grant tells him. Frank looks good, too. No crazy hair or indecent cutoffs, just sun-bleached streaks and baggy cargo shorts. Grant's pretty sure they both get more unfairly beautiful every time he comes to Great Inagua. 

On the one hand, it's wonderful to see people he considers dear friends so happy and so well-settled into lives they love. On the other hand, it makes his more inconvenient feelings for the pair of them progressively more difficult to manage.

And yet, he can't bring himself to stop coming to the island, to refuse invitations to stay with them. He never did claim to be sensible. And honestly, he's rarely met anyone else so enthusiastic about his research, whether the documents or the diving or the sheer adventure of it. His friend Neil was right to send him to these two, that first time. They may be the epitome of do-it-yourself, but that's what he fucking loves about them. 

Frank slings his bags into the back of the jeep and ushers Grant into the passenger side. Gerard drives, and Frank slides into the back, but leans up between the two front seats and asks Grant questions about the most recent book tour. "Donna said she came to meet you," Frank says, and Gerard groans and sinks down in his seat. 

"She did, in fact," Grant says, amused. "Lovely woman. Undeniably your mum, Gerard." 

"She's read all your books, you know," Frank supplies helpfully. "And she has Gerard's cameos bookmarked, so she can show people when they come over for dinner." 

Grant feels the corner of his mouth twitch. Gerard is scarlet red. He glances back and sees that Frank is smirking. Grant finally lets himself laugh. "She really was lovely, Gerard." 

"She's proud of me," Gerard mumbles. "Of us. And, you know, she likes being able to go someplace warm every other Christmas." 

"As do I," Grant murmurs. 

"LA," Frank scoffs. 

"This place is warm in an entirely different way," Grant says. "And it's warming spiritually as well as physically." 

"If anyone other than you said that, I'd laugh at them," Frank says. 

"Good thing I'm me, then," Grant tells him, and Frank nods, grinning at him. 

"I'd really fucking have to agree." 

Gerard turns them into the yard of their little property, parks the jeep by the main house. "Here we are." 

Grant loves their house. It's small and full of light and very much them. There are books and records and comics on every shelf and Grant feels right at home here. Frank relieves him of his shoulder bag and tugs him into the kitchen. 

"C'mon, dinner. Grab a seat at the table while I get it started?" 

"Glad to," Grant says. And now begins his favorite island pastime: watching Frank and Gerard. They move around each other with the practiced ease of people who have been together for years. Gerard helps Frank chop things and fetches ingredients for him once he moves the operation to the wok. They keep the stream of conversation going steady. 

"Maybe you can help me convince him to do a gallery show Shaun found," Frank says over his shoulder. 

"Oh?" Grant asks, sipping at the glass of iced tea Gerard had poured for him. "What sort of showing is it?" 

"Local artists. There are three or four booked already, but Shaun says Gerard's paintings would really stand out." 

"I feel weird," Gerard replies and swats Frank with a dish towel. "I'm not _actually_ local." 

"You're a part of this island," Grant argues, because he knows it to be true. On previous visits they've taken him into Matthew Town, and he's seen the way Gerard stops and gossips with the shopkeepers; the way Frank will buy a flower to give to the elderly woman who always sits on her stoop singing in the evenings. "Plus you're brilliant. Let the rich Americans from the resort buy your art, love," Grant continues. 

Gerard huffs out a laugh. "Fine. I can't say no to the two of you at once, apparently." 

That... is an image that Grant can't say he minds. He's a bad, bad man. 

"Trust us, Gee. You're good. You deserve to be recognized for it," Frank says. 

Gerard affects a sigh, but the little smile he gives them says well enough how he really feels. "I trust both of you a lot, so." 

"Sit," Frank tells him. "You too, big shot. Dinner's ready. You want a drink?" 

"Sure," Grant replies. 

"Beer? Or we have some gin around here somewhere," Frank says. 

"A beer sounds perfect," Grant tells him. Gerard settles into the chair to his left, and a moment later, Frank is pressing a cool bottle into his hand. "Frank. Everything is perfect. Sit down," Grant says when Frank keeps flitting from one thing in the kitchen to the other. 

Frank grumbles but complies, dropping into the chair directly across from Grant. "Thank you for this," Grant tells him. "I've been eating at overpriced LA restaurants for weeks." Frank makes a face and Grant laughs. "Yes, you've made your feelings on Los Angeles abundantly clear, Frank."  
have  
"We should talk about someplace else, then," Gerard says. 

"Your charts," Frank says. "We figured out _where_ we're going. But what do you have us doing this time?" 

"Ah," says Grant. He can't help grinning; he's _excited_ about this. "You know the story of the _Veuve Tempête_ , of course," he begins. Gerard and Frank both nod, as he'd known they would: she's a famous local ghost said to appear in the aftermath of storms, wearing widow's clothes, walking along the shoreline and weeping. "I believe I've found some records that could shed some light on that story," Grant says. Gerard and Frank light up. 

"Seriously?" Frank says as Gerard says, 

"Bad ass."

*

After dinner has been cleared away, Gerard makes coffee, and the three of them spread Grant's charts out over the table. He taps a finger on an otherwise unimpressive square in the grid and says, " _Le Achéron_."

"So what's up with it?" Gerard asks and leans to peer at the spot where Grant pointed as if the square on the chart will expand into something more than it is. 

"Shipwreck?" Frank asks, and Grant can see him already noting the depth marking, currents, and nearby reefs. "How does it tie in?" 

" _Le Achéron_ was a French corsair ship in the 1760's. By the accounts of the day, she was caught in a terrible storm on her way to South America. The ship sank, and her entire crew was lost. The wreck was discovered again twenty or so years ago." 

Frank looks at him and raises an eyebrow. "And?" he asks. 

"How do you know there's an and?" Grant asks. 

"There's always an and with you," Gerard says with a grin. 

" _And_ the thing is, the _Veuve Tempête_. The widow woman who appears on the beach after storms and mourns for the lost. In my research, I’ve found the exact same fucking story in several different locations throughout the world" Grant says. “Here, of course; the coast of Southern France; an island off the coast of Peru; the West Indies—the _Veuve Tempête_ appears in each place.”

"That happens," Gerard points out. "Commonalities of mythology." 

"Stop quoting my own books at me," Grant says, tweaking Gerard's nose. "I believe that there’s more to it than that. The legends are more than just similar, they're completely fucking identical. Look at this." 

He fishes two pieces of paper out of his bag. "These are scans from two different books about local lore, written at around the same time in the 1800's, one from France and one from Peru."

Frank and Gerard turn their attention to the scans. "Different artists," Grant stresses. "Hell, completely different areas of the world. And yet..."

"They're the same," Gerard murmurs. He reaches a hand out to trace the lines of the the widow woman's skirts. The style of illustration may be different, but they clearly depict the exact same figure.

"The details match exactly," Grant continues. "She appears after storms, wearing widow's clothes, mourning the lost. And interestingly, in every instance, she appears near to the site of a shipwreck. I've done my research: all four of those ships came from the same shipyard in France."

"Huh," Frank says, clearly turning this information over in his brain. "So, you think that the ghosts are connected to the ships themselves?"

"I'm almost positive of it. And I think the connection is a tangible one: it's telling that the ghosts are sighted after storms, when the waters have been churned up—almost certainly disturbing the wreck itself."

"You think that something _in_ the wreck is the cause of _Le Veuve_ ," Gerard concludes. He looks fascinated. Grant wants to kiss him.

Instead, he nods. "Not to mention this: every other site has either been completely excavated, or destroyed, over the past fifty years, and their ghosts haven't been seen since. _Le Achéron_ is the only wreck that has been preserved. And these islands are the only place where the widow woman still appears."

"Oh, so you want me to dive into a haunted wreck. That sounds exciting," Frank taunts, but gently. 

Grant pulls a face. "Well, yes. But I can come down with you. I'm certified and everything. In fact, if I recall correctly, you were the one to sign the certificate." 

"You were not the most irritating student in the room," Frank drawls, tugging Gerard close to kiss his neck when he makes an offended huff. 

"I was an _angel_ ," Gerard protests. Frank smirks, and Grant can't keep a straight face for the life of him. 

"I suspect I'd have a much keener interest in Christian mythology if the angels were more like you, Gerard," Grant tells him. Gerard giggles and blushes and puts his hands to his face. It's all totally unconscious and Grant is smitten. Utterly. Fuck. 

Grant decides that, in this case, distraction is the better part of valor. "In my research, I've uncovered more than a few parallels between the four lost French ships. The one that interests me most is that each ship, before it sank, was referenced as bearing some sort of 'precious cargo,' though exactly what that cargo may have been is never specified." 

Frank lifts an eyebrow. "I like the sound of precious cargo." 

"Not to bring the room down," Gerard cuts in, "but... you said this ship sank over two hundred years ago. Are you really expecting to find anything left?" 

"Yeah, if you found shipwreck records, people who've been doing this a lot longer than us would have, too," Frank adds. 

"I've considered that," Grant admits. "However, the fact that the widow woman has been sighted as recently as last spring suggests to me that there is still something to be discovered in the bones of _Le Acheron_ , no matter how picked over and decayed." 

"Then we'll go check her out. And you are definitely coming down with me because I don't do haunted shit by myself," Frank replies. 

Grant laughs. "I take it you've done 'haunted shit' before?" 

"Listen, when you grow up in Jersey obsessed with horror, you go do stupid shit in weird places," Frank replies. 

"Frank," Gerard says, "That describes your entire life." 

"Fuck you!" Frank grins and shoves at Gerard's shoulder. "You were just as weird as I was growing up, don't even." 

Gerard shrugs and grins. "Yeah, yeah. But admit it, you do more stupid shit than me." 

"Yes, Admiral Safety," Frank sighs. Gerard makes a hilarious face. 

Grant asks, "Does he get a hat?" 

Frank's eyes light up. "We should get him one." 

"I could rock a hat," Gerard confirms. "With a motherfucking feather." 

"Admiral hats do not have feathers," Grant sighs longsufferingly. "Have I taught you nothing?" 

Gerard laughs. "Fine. No feathers. It better be a badass hat, though." 

"Nothing but the best for you, Gerard," Grant assures him. 

"So we're going pretty far out," Frank continues. "Anywhere else you want to visit, Grant?" 

"Nothing springs to mind," Grant replies. "Aside from Graciela's for her special fajitas." 

"We'll do a tour of the town," Frank promises. 

"Tomorrow before we leave," Gerard adds. "I know a good spot to anchor for the first night." 

"Good how?" Grant asks curiously. They've taken him all over the island and the ocean surrounding it, but still every time he visits, there's someplace new they've discovered that they want to show him. 

"The glowy jellyfish like to gather there. It's really awesome at night," Gerard answers. 

"That sounds... lovely," Grant says, smiling at him, and attempting to ignore the fact that his first thought had been, "romantic." So, so fucked. 

"They're called sea walnuts, and they're not real jellyfish," Frank corrects. "But they are cool." 

"Pedant," Gerard says and elbows Frank. Frank yelps dramatically. And Grant has to laugh at them. 

"I've missed this," he tells them. 

"So have we," Gerard replies. Frank hooks his chin over Gerard's shoulder and gives Grant one of his rare toothy smiles. Grant beams back; he can't help it. 

"You know you don't need an excuse to come here, right?" Frank asks. "You're welcome anytime. Paying customer or not." 

"I'll remember that," Grant promises him. 

"What now?" Gerard asks. "Another drink, are you tired, are -" He stops when Grant reaches out and pats his cheek. 

"Your mother would be proud of your hosting skills, Gerard," he says with a smile. "I need nothing. You can relax." 

"Fine," Gerard huffs. He leans into Frank's side. "Tell us more about your research into _Le Acheron_ , then." 

They end up out in the garden, the two boys wrapped around each other on one oversized lounge chair while Grant reclines on another. "You should get a hammock," Grant says. 

Frank bursts out laughing. "Do you want Gerard to _die_?" 

"Hammocks are fucking vicious," Gerard declares. 

"I enjoy them," Grant tells them. 

"I'm _really_ bad at them," Gerard says. 

"It's true, he is. All he has to do is walk by one and I swear to you, they reach out and trip him," Frank informs. 

Grant laughs. "Perhaps we should be examining Gerard for a hammock-related curse, not setting out for the Acheron." 

"Don't know how well that book would sell. But hey, I'll examine him anyway," Frank says seriously, before pawing at Gerard exaggeratedly everywhere he can reach. 

Grant needs another drink. 

Gerard laughs and shoves back at Frank and they have a short wrestling match right there on the chair. Grant isn't sure who wins. 

The sun is setting, staining the skyline with gorgeous reds and oranges. They discuss the expedition a little more, but the conversation wanders. Eventually Grant talks Frank into bringing out his guitar, which automatically makes any evening brilliant. Frank plays and both he and Gerard sing along to the tunes they know. Grant likes it best when he plays songs he wrote himself, though. 

It's the best evening he's spent in a while. A long while. Since the last time he was on Great Inagua, really. And he'll go to bed alone, but he at least has the consolation of a comfortable room they've kitted out just for him. It's practically his room at this point. He always gets a room at the resort, and they always insist he cancel. He's not sure why he even bothers with the reservation anymore. 

Eventually, Frank and Gerard are clearly drooping; Grant has to laugh. "Wild and crazy nights, hm?" he teases. "Oh, the twist this will put on my books." 

"It's late here," Gerard pouts. "Not our fault you come from the past." 

"The perils of time travel. Shall I put you to bed, or will you leave me to my own devices?" Grant asks easily. 

"We should probably sleep," Frank says regretfully. "Busy day tomorrow." 

"True enough," Grant replies. "I think I'll stay out here a while, if that's alright. I can certainly find my way to the spare room in a bit." 

"You're the boss," Frank says. He takes Gerard's hand; Gerard squeezes Grant's shoulder as they walk by. 

He doesn't stay in the garden when they disappear inside. He gets up and walks in the warm breeze. The first time he'd come to Great Inagua, following the story of a Victorian-era chaos magician, he'd been instantly charmed. And then he'd met Frank and Gerard, they'd worked together closely for the next two weeks, and at the end of it, he'd fallen in love with the island... and he'd been certain that, if nothing else, he'd found two people who would become dear friends. 

They _have_ become dear friends. Some of his dearest, in fact. They are bright and beautiful and each incredibly talented and intelligent in their own ways. He misses them dreadfully when he's away. They exchange emails, of course, and the occasional postcard. But there's nothing quite like the one-two punch to Grant's gut that is the two of them in person. 

"Getting lonely, old man," he mutters to himself. But that's been a fact of his life for a while. It's always different with these two. Grant is an honest man, and he knows himself. He knows that he's more than a little bit in love with Gerard and Frank and their little house and their island. 

He shakes himself and looks out over the water. The sun is long set and the moon is casting an eerie glow on the sea. He's tempted to throw off his clothes and swim, but Gerard would scold if he found out, so he doesn't. He does wade in to his ankles, and takes a deep breath. Somewhere out in the dark ocean, _Le Acheron_ is waiting. 

 

***

 

Frank rolls out of bed earlier than usual on Tuesday morning. He's got some errands to run before they do the tour of Matthew Town with Grant. Mostly, he wants to get as many vegetables as he can from the market for the boat. Because while he has learned to like fresh fish, he's gonna get really tired of it and he wants as much variety as they can possibly cram into their larder. 

He buys most of his produce from Miss Marie, who's seventy if she's a day but flirts outrageously. "A little bird told me that Mr. Big Famous Author is back in town," she says as she tallies his purchases. "Tell him hello from me, will you? And tell him that I'm still single, but any day now his chance will be gone." 

Frank grins. "I will be sure to let him know. You might even get to tell him yourself." 

"Now you're talking," she replies. She slips him a bag of lemons that he hasn't paid for, and loudly denies it when he tries to object. "Just bring me a slice of pie sometime, sugar," she tells him. He laughs. She does love his lemon meringue pie. 

He heads back to the house and finds that Grant is up, wearing loose pants and an unbuttoned shirt, drinking coffee on the porch. "Good morning," Frank calls. "Sleep well?" 

Grant smiles at him. "I always sleep better here than anywhere else in the world." 

"Gee up and about yet?" Frank asks. 

"No sightings thus far," Grant tells him. 

"Shocker," Frank replies with a grin. "Actually, I'm surprised he didn't wake up when you made coffee." 

"I assumed you wore him out last night," Grant says with a smirk.

"Maybe," Frank replies. "It's just so fun." He sits an orange in front of Grant, nudges his shoulder with an elbow, and whistles as he carries the bags inside. 

He's packing things into coolers when Gerard shuffles out of their bedroom. His hair is a mess, and he's only wearing a pair of ratty sleep shorts, and he asks, "Coffee?" 

"Grant made some earlier," Frank tells him and draws him in for a quick kiss. Things usually aren't quick when Gerard is involved, though. Sleepy Gerard kisses sweetly. He presses his whole body up against Frank. Frank smiles against Gerard's mouth and wraps his arms around Gerard's neck. "I'm trying to get ready for a big trip, you know," Frank says against his lips. 

"Certainly looks that way," Grant says from behind him. Gerard pulls away, but not far, not out of the circle of Frank's arms. He smiles at Grant. Frank loves that smile. 

"I'm motivating him," Gerard tells Grant. 

"Then I'll get you a coffee, you industrious thing, you." Grant strolls inside and goes to the coffee pot. 

Gerard huffs into Frank's hair and murmurs, "This is going to be so good." 

"Yeah, it will," Frank can't help but agree. 

Gerard pulls away, all sleek skin and ratty cotton, winding over to the coffee pot and taking a mug from Grant. Grant, who Frank notices takes his time looking Gerard up and down. Not that Frank blames him. It's a nice view; one that frequently entices Frank into dragging Gerard back to bed on mornings when they don't have anywhere else to be. They do today. They have lots of places to be and they have a guest. And while god knows they don't hold that much back around Grant, Frank's pretty sure _that_ would be unspeakably rude.

Frank goes to pour his own cup of coffee when he's done with the groceries, and carries the mug outside. Gerard and Grant are leaning on the porch rail, talking quietly. Grant says something, and Gerard reaches out and puts his hand on Grant's elbow. Grant looks down at Gerard and his face is unbelievably fond. Grant, Frank thinks, is always gorgeous, but especially so when he looks at Gerard. They're sort of two of a kind. Frank has ceased being remotely threatened by it; he can only appreciate it. 

"Breakfast?" he asks, quietly. "I was thinking maybe omelettes or something?" 

"That sounds perfect," Grant says with a smile in Frank's direction. And fuck if Frank doesn't want to do everything and anything to make Grant smile at him like that again. 

After a big breakfast and a trip into town for odds and ends, they make their way out to the dock. Grant just stands and beams at the _Elena Lee_ for a moment. "Home sweet cabin cruiser?" Frank asks. 

"Precisely," Grant says. "I have missed this boat more than I can say and I'm very glad to be on her again." 

"Ditto," Frank says, swinging into the cabin for the clipboard so they can do the checklist. Gerard takes this part really seriously and Frank finds it so fucking endearing. He does need to get Gerard a hat that says "Admiral Safety" on it. 

It's the moment that they're done, when they loose the lines and push back from the dock, that always makes Frank grin the hardest. Maneuvering out of the inlet and into the open ocean is his second favorite part. Everything quite suddenly feels a lot bigger. 

He rests one hand easily on the throttle and guides them toward their first waypoint, glancing every now and again at Grant and Gerard standing in the bow. The breeze is doing things to Gerard's stupid bleached hair and he looks positively picturesque. Not that he doesn't most of the time. Next to him, Grant looks tall and lithe and just as picturesque. 

"Did you remember to put sunblock on the top of your head?" Frank calls out and totally ruins the moment. 

"Yes, mum," Grant snarks back. 

"Just checking," Frank calls back in a sing-song tone. 

"I'm never living that first time down, am I?" Grant asks. 

"Your head looked like a tomato. So nope," Frank replies with a big grin. 

"If you don't trust me to apply sunscreen, you can always supervise," Grant taunts gently. 

"Maybe I will," Frank replies with a smirk. The thought makes him reach for his bottle of water. The tightness in his gut sneaks up on him, though. The slow heat. Fuck. They only just started out. He can't exactly drag Gerard below deck yet. 

He certainly can't drag Grant below decks. Not that he would - well. Frank shakes his head to clear it and gives his attention back to the sea. 

The first few hours out are uneventful and Gerard goes down below to see about lunch. Grant sits in the chair next to Frank and takes a deep breath. "Perfect day to set out," he says with a satisfied smile. 

"We keep them set aside for you," Frank replies. 

"Such service," Grant teases. 

"We do our very best to serve our customers well," Frank says seriously and then cracks up. "I can't even say that shit, man." 

"Just play to your strengths," Grant replies. 

"Being a blunt little shit?" Frank guesses. 

"I'd call it 'charmingly direct,'" Grant says easily. 

"I can't decide if it's better or worse than Gerard trolling people," Frank says with a grin. "Granted, I really enjoy Gerard trolling. Just this past week he told a group of frat guys - well, it's not important. But their faces were priceless." 

Grant laughs. "Gerard is a very gifted storyteller; I can only imagine." 

"What about me?" Gerard asks as he comes back on deck with a plate full of sandwiches. 

"You're the best, of course." Frank sees a sandwich crammed with tomato and avocado and snags it. He checks his GPS; they have time to stop for a while. "Want to swim? Cove nearby." 

"Oooh," says Gerard. "Grant?" 

"Swimming sounds wonderful," Grant replies and bites into his own sandwich. "We can disprove ridiculous old wives tales about swimming after eating." 

"There will be no drowning on my watch," Frank glares. 

Grant draws a finger in an x across his chest. "Cross my heart, Frank." 

Frank smiles. "Okay, that works for me." 

Frank pilots them into the cove he'd marked and drops anchor. It's a pretty popular spot, and there are a few other boats doing the same thing, but no matter. They don't bother with the wetsuits; the sun is warm, and the water is perfect. Grant disappears belowdecks for a few minutes and emerges wearing aggressively floral-patterned swim trunks. 

Gerard lifts his sunglasses up his forehead. "Shit, those are awesome. Why didn't you let me get a new pair of swim trunks, Frankie?" 

Frank laughs. "Because you have five million pairs already?" 

"So what's five million and one?" Gerard leans in to kiss Frank, then tugs off his shirt and tosses it. "Let's go, Grant," he smiles. 

"After you," Grant tells him, gesturing towards the ladder off the back of the boat. 

Frank takes his own shirt off and dives in after them. He swims up under Grant and tugs his leg before surfacing. Grant barely moves - he's an excellent swimmer. "We should talk about upping your certification while you're here," he says when he breaks the surface. 

"I have considered it," Grant explains. "If only so I can take you up on your offer of a job on your boat." 

"Be careful or we'll hold you to that," Gerard says. "Don't think we won't." 

Grant just laughs and strokes lazily toward the beach. Frank floats up behind Gerard and touches his shoulder. "Hey there," Frank says. "We're a fucking good-looking boat, had you noticed?" Gerard laughs and lazily wraps his arms around Frank's neck. 

"I had, actually," Gerard replies. 

"I'm not just talking about us," Frank says, nuzzling. 

"Neither am I," says Gerard, a little breathlessly; Frank is never going to get tired about how easily he can get Gerard going. Though, possibly he can lay some of the blame for this one on Grant's ridiculous board shorts. Or maybe his smile. The water is warm and Gerard is getting hard against him and Frank has to lean in to kiss him. 

They kiss until a wave of water splashes over their heads and Grant laughs from a few feet away. "Nymphomaniacs," he says. "Swim with me." 

Frank aims a splash in his direction. "Race you to that rock over there?" He starts swimming without waiting for an answer. He's totally unsurprised when arms circle his waist and tug him back. He starts laughing and gets a mouthful of seawater. 

"No need to cheat to beat an old man," Grant breathes. 

"I don't see any old men," Frank replies. 

"Flattery won't help you either, darling," Grant tells him, and then uses all his weight to push Frank away and behind him while he darts forward. Frank laughs again and chases after him. 

"Who's the cheater now?" he yells. He catches Grant easily enough, but doesn't pass him until the last moment. "Fuck yeah!" Frank crows, throwing his arms up into the air. Grant's arms wrap around him again and press him against the rock. They're both laughing and Gerard is laughing as he swims toward them at a more leisurely pace. Frank realizes he feels just as good with Grant's arms around him as he did with Gerard a few minutes ago. 

Frank isn't stupid; he knows he's got feelings for Grant. Gerard does, too. It's not news. It's possibly something they should talk about. Probably should have talked about before getting on a small boat with him. 

In the garden last night, that would have been the time. Frank sighs. Grant squeezes him. "That had better not be a cramp," he says in Frank's ear. 

"Course not," Frank says, forcing himself to wriggle away from Grant's grip. "Old wives' tale, remember?" 

Grant nods. "Old wives' tale." 

Frank looks at Gerard treading water next to them. His face is pointed up into the sun. "You just want to get back on the boat and lie in the sun, don't you?" 

"Even I know the answer to that question," Grant puts in. 

"Maybe I do," Gerard tells him, grinning. "You know, it's probably still snowing back in Jersey. I feel like I owe it to them." 

Frank laughs. "Shit. Fuck the snow." He sinks down below the water, wraps his arms around Gerard's thighs, and kicks upwards. Gerard splashes down hard, twisting around to grapple with Frank before popping back up the right way. His hair is sticking up fifteen different directions and he's laughing. 

"Fuck you." 

"Right here in the water?" Frank says, leering and making an exaggerated grab for Gerard's ass. "I dunno. We might scandalize the fish." 

"Also _germs_ ," Gerard says. 

Frank laughs. "Hate to break it to you, but that ship already sailed when you got in the water." 

"It's the _principle_ of the thing," Gerard responds. 

Frank looks back at Grant - or where Grant was - only to find he's lazily swimming away. "Let's get back to the boat," says Frank. 

"Yeah," Gerard breathes and they both swim back and pull themselves onboard. They immediately go into the hold and to their little room that's basically all bed. 

"I want you," Frank breathes, fumbling at Gerard's swim trunks, "but Gee, Grant's out there, he knows -" 

"He knows how fucking hot you are," Gerard murmurs, biting at Frank's throat and making him gasp. "He knows how much I want you. He knows." 

Frank kicks his own trunks off and finally gets Gerard's down his thighs. "Fuck, Gee," he murmurs. "How do you want me?" 

"Fuck me, Frankie, fuckin' hurry." 

"Shit," Frank gasps, and he pushes Gerard down onto the bed. "Turn over, turn over," he chants, scrambling for the bottle of lube stashed under the pillow. When he finally grabs it and turns back to Gerard, he almost swallows his tongue at the sight of Gerard on his hands and knees, ass up, loosely fisting his own cock. Frank snaps open the lube and slicks himself up. 

"Frankie, now," Gerard moans. Frank bites his lip and moves into position behind Gerard. He runs his hands over Gerard's ass and slowly, slowly pushes inside. "That's it. Faster," Gerard urges. Fuck, how can Frank resist that. 

"You're always so fucking ready for me," he murmurs in Gerard's ear, hips snapping forward. 

"Always want you," Gerard replies and moves his hips back against Frank's. "Fucking always." 

"Can never get...enough..." Fuck, Frank isn't going to last. Gerard feels so tight, so good, and his fucking noises.... 

"Baby," Gerard gasps, dropping down to his elbows and arching his back. "Oh, fuck, Frank, I love you so fucking much, I can't, _I can't_ -" 

Frank leans down and kisses between Gerard's shoulder blades. "So fucking much," he whispers and tangles his fingers with Gerard's on his cock and they stroke together. "Come for me," he groans, "you know you want to." All Frank can see or feel or smell or _taste_ right now is Gerard; Gerard's flushed skin, his sweat, his leaking cock. Gerard's moans that are coming quicker, sharper and shorter, as Gerard starts to lose it. 

Frank moans against his neck. "Feel so good, Gee," he gasps and Gerard comes hard into their fingers. He clenches around Frank's cock and it's tight and perfect and Frank groans and thrusts harder. 

It barely takes three more thrusts for Frank to shudder and come, cursing and collapsing down onto Gerard's back. They both stay like that for a moment, just breathing. He pulls out slow and leans back against his heels. Gerard looks incredible and Frank almost wants to take a picture, but that would ruin the moment. "Fuck, Gee," he breathes. 

"Maybe later," Gerard mumbles into the mattress. "You wore me out." 

Frank has to laugh. "You started it." 

"Mmm," Gerard hums, agreeably. "You finished it, though. You're really good at that."

"I can't deny, it's something I really fucking enjoy. We should go back out. And clean up." 

"Just jump back in the water," Gerard says lazily. 

"Okay, Mr. Germs." 

Except when they go back up on deck, Grant's sitting up top, sipping a bottle of water and looking at Frank's charts with apparent absorption. Frank's not a guy who's easily embarrassed. But... fuck. Grant totally knows what they were up to down there. Grant doesn't seem at all perturbed, just looks up at them and smiles. It's then that he realizes Grant could probably hear them too. Shit. 

Gerard doesn't seem perturbed either, just kisses Frank's shoulder and dives off the back of the boat. Frank feels like the bite mark on his neck is a neon sign. "We should head out again pretty soon," Frank says, to say something. "It's a few more hours to the place where we'll drop anchor for the night." 

"Excellent," Grant says. He points to a schematic on one of the charts. "When you get a moment, I wondered if we could discuss trying a different search grid at the dive site? I've just been looking over my notes, and I have a new theory." 

"Sounds good," Frank replies. He watches Grant from the corner of his eye. Gerard gets back on the boat a minute later and plops down next to Grant wrapped in his towel. Grant seems so cool and relaxed. Frank doesn't know how he manages it. 

Once they're underway, Frank has Gerard take the wheel for a little while so he and Grant can discuss the dive. "I want to look for lifeboats," Grant tells him. "This island here would have been the nearest dry land. Do you think -" 

He stops talking. He's looking at Frank's neck. Frank bites the inside of his cheek. Grant reaches out and traces his fingers lightly over the mark. Frank shivers and bites harder on his cheek. Grant draws his hand back then, and takes a deep breath. 

"Lifeboats," he continues, eyes flicking to Frank's face, and then back to the charts. "The wreck itself will have almost completely decomposed, and any items of note will likely be long gone. But perhaps the precious object spoken of in the accounts of the day was removed by a crewman attempting to make their escape?" 

"We can quarter in on the wreck site," Frank nods. His heart is fucking pounding. 

He goes back to the console and looks at his instruments, gets them heading where he wants them to be going. Gerard leans against the console, clearly oblivious to what just happened. "Should be another couple of hours," Gerard says. "Grant, did you maybe want to look at those sketches I was telling you about?" 

"You brought them?" Grant smiles. "I didn't think you would, somehow. Yes, of course." 

Frank nearly laughs. Of course Gerard brought them. Grant said he wanted to see them. He sits back and, keeping one hand on the wheel, listens to Gerard and Grant. 

 

***

 

They make good time to the little cove where they'll be anchoring for the night. Frank gets industrious and starts dinner; he brings the little grill up onto the deck and fires it up, and then he starts pulling containers out of the cooler. Gerard just stands back with Grant and watches. He loves watching Frank do pretty much anything and cooking is no exception. 

"He's come a long way from burning shit and calling it Cajun," Gerard tells Grant with a grin. 

"Fuck you," Frank shoots back. "It was that or starve." 

"Hey, I can totally make chickpea curry," Gerard replies. 

"You can _only_ make chickpea curry," Frank counters. 

"Untrue," Grant interjects. "I can attest to the fact that Gerard makes quite passable pancakes, as well." 

"Pancakes and chickpea curry. Both of which I love, but do not really want to eat for every meal. And neither does he," Frank says with a grin and flips the veggies in his pan. 

Gerard huffs, but he can't actually argue with that. Grant knocks their shoulders together companionably, and Gerard tips sideways just enough that they're leaning together. It's a warm spring evening, and Gerard has two of his very favorite people with him—it's really fucking nice. Gerard is very often at his happiest when Grant is with them, when it's just the three of them and the boat, the sea, and the sky. Tonight, it's definitely true. 

He and Grant drift into a conversation about the moon and the tides. Frank interjects every so often, but mostly he just hums to himself as he grills. Every so often, though, Gerard will feel Frank's eyes on him—on them. He wonders if it looks like it looked earlier in the water, when it was Frank breathing hard and laughing, with Grant's arms around him. The sight had sent a warm rush of want straight to Gerard's gut. 

Things have gotten all twisted around somehow; however much he wants Frank, he can't make himself stop noticing every little thing about Grant. It's worse than ever. He loves Frank so much it hurts him sometimes. That's not - that's not what this is. This is about Grant, and how Gerard is maybe more than a little in love with him, too. Grant just belongs to them, and as much as he'd probably admit the same thing, it's just not...Gerard is selfish. He wants more. 

Frank finishes dinner and they eat. There's more conversation and the food is delicious. Sitting next to Frank, their thighs pressed close, makes Gerard feel more grounded. It doesn't stop him wanting Grant, though. 

Grant is telling them about something that happened on his most recent book tour. It's a very Grant-like story, which means that it's both hilariously funny, twisted, and a bit deep, all at once. Gerard glances over at Frank and sees that he's watching Grant with a look of warm admiration. If Gerard asked... he's almost sure that Frank would say yes. That doesn't make it any easier to ask. 

"Gerard," Grant says after a while, startling him out of his distraction, "what about these jellyfish?" 

"Sea walnuts," Frank corrects automatically. 

Grant laughs and reaches out to pat Frank's knee. "Sea walnuts," he says with a smile. 

"They should be showing up soon," Frank says and tips his head to look over the side of the boat. "Or now." 

"They're really beautiful," Gerard says, going to lean next to Frank and hooking fingers into his waistband. Frank turns his head a little to nuzzle into Gerard's shoulder. 

"Incredible," Grant breathes, settling close on Gerard's other side. 

"Yeah," Gerard says faintly. Having them bracketing him like this is making his brain go offline. 

There isn't much moon tonight, and it's easy to make out the glow of the jellies in the dark water. Gerard lets himself slide his hand through the crook of Grant's arm. 

They stay like that, the three of them, looking over the side of the boat and into the water for a long time. "There's so much I haven't seen yet, so much more I want..." Grant murmurs. "Every time I visit..." 

"You should stay longer next time," Gerard says, before he even really thinks about what he's saying. "Our house is your house, you know?" 

"You should," Frank agrees from beside him. "We like it when you're around." 

"I am grateful. But that might not be wise." Grant leans over and kisses Gerard's temple, then walks to the other end of the boat. 

"Fuck," Gerard gasps; can't help it. Frank grabs his hand and squeezes it, hard. 

"Gee..." he begins. 

"Frankie, I can't. I can't, I can't," Gerard whispers. 

"Can't what, babe?" Frank says against his hair and squeezes his hand even tighter. 

"Can't let him walk away anymore," Gerard whispers. 

Frank breathes out. "What do you wanna do, Gee?" 

"Go get him? Tell him… we do, right? I'm not crazy thinking you love him as much as I do?" Gerard asks and shivers at the breeze that ruffles through his hair. 

"You're pretty crazy," Frank murmurs, "but not about that, babe." 

Gerard doesn't even know what to do with the way he feels right now; his heart feels like it's about to pound right out of his chest. All he can do is grab Frank and pull him in for a desperate kiss. "I love you so goddamn much," Gerard tells him when they pull apart. 

"I know, babe." Frank is looking at him with soft eyes. 

Gerard pulls Frank so their foreheads are pressed together and says, "Let's go talk some sense into Grant, yeah?" 

Frank giggles. "Sure, 'talking' is what the plan is, here." 

Gerard laughs and kisses him again. "Well, talking _first,_ I imagine." 

They circle the deck hand-in-hand but Grant is nowhere to be found. "I thought he was in the stern," Frank frowns. A quick check belowdecks shows that the second stateroom's door is firmly shut. 

"Motherfucker," Gerard says, staring at the door like he could will it open with his mind. Telekinesis has never been his first choice for a superpower, but he's willing to reconsider. 

"Fuck," Frank breathes. "Well. We're kind of stuck on a boat. It's not like he's going anywhere." Gerard is finding it hard to talk around the lump in his throat. "C'mon," Frank says, and tugs Gerard towards their cabin. 

Once they're inside, he pulls Gerard down onto the bed beside him and folds Gerard into his arms. "Tomorrow, Gee. We'll tell him tomorrow. We've been putting this off for a long fucking time; we can wait one more day." 

"Yeah," Gerard murmurs and buries his face in Frank's neck. "I just. You know." 

"If there's anything I'm sure of, it's that Grant thinks you're amazing," Frank replies. 

"Not just me," Gerard says, pulling back to look Frank in the eye. "He... fuck, Frank, the way he looks at you when you play guitar, or when you're in the water..." 

Frank runs his hands through Gerard's hair and Gerard sighs happily. "You when you open your fucking mouth and say basically anything," Frank whispers. 

Gerard barely holds back a whine when Frank gives his hair a little tug. "Frankie," Gerard sighs, and he tucks their heads close together again. "Wanted Grant for such a fucking long time," he admits, hiding the secret in Frank's hair. "I love you so fucking much, and Grant... we could be..." 

"All three of us," Frank murmurs. "Together." 

Gerard nods. "Fuck, I hope he wants that too." 

Frank kisses Gerard's neck in reply, kisses more. Touches more, and Gerard touches him back, soothed by the familiar hands on his skin. Gerard comes with Frank's hand tight on his dick and Frank's voice in his ear, whispering all manner of filth about what it might be like to have Grant here in their bed with them. 

Afterwards, Gerard flips Frank over and swallows down his cock, stroking a finger up behind his balls and bringing him off quick and dirty, Frank biting his own fist to try and keep quiet. They've never been shy about letting other people hear them before. Hell, they've never been shy about letting _Grant_ hear them. They certainly weren't earlier. But it's just… different now. 

Gerard tightens his arms around Frank's waist and kisses his shoulder. "Sleep well," he murmurs. 

"Tomorrow," Frank mumbles.

"Tomorrow." Gerard is nervous and strangely sure at the same time. 

 

***

 

Grant stares up at the ceiling of his cabin until he's seeing spots, then throws an arm over his eyes. He wasn't trying to listen. Really wasn't, any more than he was...this afternoon. They certainly have energy. He huffs out a tiny little groan mixed with a laugh. He really is a fool. 

A fucking turned-on fool. Christ, he wants them. He's fucking aching with it. He sighs and lets his hand wander down his chest. He needs this. He'll deal with thinking about everything in a while. 

His skin feels pleasantly tight from the sun, the salt. And sensitive, oh so sensitive. He can still feel echoes of earlier sensation, from when he'd stood pressed against Gerard looking out at the sea. And earlier still, when he'd wrapped his arms around Frank during their race—Christ. He lifts his hips and shoves the swim trunks he never changed out of down his legs and off. 

It's a fucking relief to wrap a hand around his cock and give himself a good, firm stroke. He clamps his mouth shut and draws in a long breath through his nose. Frank, he thinks. It would be Frank, with his scarred, clever hands. 

Gerard, though: Gerard would tease, Grant decides. He brings his other hand up to thumb at a nipple, but doesn't linger, drawing his fingertips across the skin of his chest and stomach. "Fuck," he whispers. Frank would kiss him, he thinks. And then Gerard would press in close and steal kisses from both of them until Grant was dizzy. 

He runs a thumb over the head of his cock. Slick; leaking like the needy bastard he is. He needs more, though, and spits into his palm. It gets better, the hot tight slide of skin. He imagines the tangled mess of Gerard's hair brushing his stomach and bites back a moan. He doesn't have to imagine the noises they would make; he's heard them. This afternoon, when he came back to the boat to find their moans echoing out across the water. Last night, laying awake in his guest room and hearing their sleepy noises of contentment and desperately wishing to be with them. 

He wishes he were with them now, falling asleep with both of them pressed against him. He strokes faster. He's hopeless, and he knows it, because Frank and Gerard are perfect for one another and, for all that he knows they care for him deeply, they don't need him. Not the way he wants them to need him, anyway. He pushes those thoughts away and concentrates on the way his cock feels in his hand. 

He thrusts his hips and fuck, he's so close. He imagines Gerard biting down on his shoulder, imagines Frank urging him on with whispered encouragement in his ear, and comes biting his own lip to hold back his moans. 

It's not enough; it never is. But tonight, it's at least enough to help him fall into sleep. Tomorrow, he thinks. Tomorrow he'll say something, find some way to back them all away from this damnable ledge they seem to have arrived at. His heart can't take this any more. 

*

He wakes to the feeling of the boat already in motion. He must've slept later than usual. He gets up and goes up on deck. Frank is navigating them out of the cove and Gerard is curled up with a cup of coffee. They both look impossibly beautiful. 

"There's plenty of coffee," Gerard tells him, with a sweet smile indicating that he's already had at least one cup. "Come sit with me?" Grant nods and fixes himself a cup of coffee and sits next to Gerard. Gerard, who immediately turns his body toward Grant. "We missed you last night," Gerard says, leaning. 

Grant takes a breath. "It was good for me to turn in early." That's as close to the truth as he can manage before he's finished his coffee. 

Gerard hums. "Big day today," he says. "Should be to the site of the wreck in a couple of hours." Grant had nearly forgotten his excitement in the confusion of other feelings. 

"I've been monitoring the sonar," Frank says from the helm. "Nothing super notable so far." 

"I'd be surprised if there was," Grant replies, but he walks over to look at the display anyway. Frank leans on him the moment he's close enough. They are clearly determined to make him want them even more than usual today. And Grant is weak and he can't help but wrap an arm around him. 

"Can't wait to get you in the water, big shot," Frank teases. 

"I can't wait to _be_ in the water," Grant says. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time." 

"Will you put us in the book again?" Frank asks. 

"You already have a key role," Grant replies. "As you do in every story you're part of." 

"Are there others?" 

"Many others. The story of my life being chief among them," Grant says and forces himself to move away. Gerard's still drinking coffee, watching him like something he's doing is somehow interesting and not just anxiety-fueled wandering. 

The sun is only just risen and the breeze is cool and it's a perfect sort of morning. And Grant can't stop pacing. "Don't wear a hole in my boat," Frank tells him, mock-stern. 

"That would be counterproductive," Grant agrees. 

"Also, we'd have to deal with the Coast Guard and no one wants that," Gerard adds with a grin. 

Frank frowns. "Fuck you, that was one time." 

"He gets very cranky when he has to do paperwork. Also, last time, the one guy was sort of flirting with me," Gerard winks. Grant laughs. 

"Listen, there's only one other person who can flirt with you and he wasn't on that trip," Frank says with a mock scowl. Gerard giggles and glances at Grant from under his eyelashes. Christ. 

"Isn't it nice of Frank to give me an exception?" Gerard asks archly. "Of course, he's allowed one too." 

Grant takes a breath and lets it out. He's not sure how to respond, how he wants to respond or how _they_ want him to respond. He does know they have a dive in an hour and a half or so. "Grant..." Frank begins. 

"We should go over the charts one more time," Grant interrupts. 

"You're right, we should," Frank says. "Preparation is everything." 

Gerard gets more serious then. "You're right. I really don't fucking want to call the coast guard." 

Grant and Frank go over the dive plan while Gerard heads to the equipment lockers to check over their kit. Charts are calming. Charts are something Grant's good at. 

"We should anchor here, I think?" Grant asks, pointing. 

"What sorts of precautions should we take?" Gerard asks. "It's kind of hard to make a pentagram under water." 

"If my assumptions prove correct, nothing like that should be necessary," Grant replies. "No other divers on this wreck have reported any kind of supernatural threat." 

"That may be," Gerard frowns. "But you're both checking in regularly. No swimming off like fucking Dory." 

Frank laughs and kisses his cheek. "Got it, gorgeous. We'll find, retrieve, no dangerous exploring." 

"I think we should concentrate the search in these areas," Grant says, tapping the grid with a finger. "Previous reports seem to indicate that the greatest number of artifacts remaining from _Le Acheron_ are here; this area is also interesting to me because it seems to have been absorbed into the reef system." 

Frank pats Grant's cheek. "Suit up, big shot." 

Grant goes down below and gets into his wetsuit. He enjoys the ritual of it. It grounds him in a way that nothing that's happened in the last two days has. He feels the boat slow and stop when they arrive, puts his goggles on his forehead and heads back up. 

"Playtime," Frank says and grins.

Grant straps himself into his gear and they do all the proper checks. "Okay. I'm timing you. Please don't do anything stupid," Gerard says. Grant just grins and follows Frank off the back of the boat.

The water is a shock, even with the wetsuit. But Grant acclimates quickly, and soon he's starting his descent to the ocean floor. 

He loves this. Loves that the world is reduced to the sound of his own breathing and what he can see. He switches on his lamp as he gets further from the surface. Frank is a few meters ahead of him, moving smoothly through the water, a joy to watch as always.

The remains of _Le Acheron_ are roughly thirty meters down. Over the years, what's left of the ship's skeleton has become a part of the reef system, and the light from Grant’s lamp reveals intricate webs of coral and a hundred types of fish. It's fucking beautiful, and he's eager to see what sorts of things remain from the ship. Frank signals at him and Grant kicks his feet and swims closer. 

He can see from Frank's hand motions that he's indicating the ship’s hull. They do a pass over the area together. As suspected, there's not much left of _Le Acheron_ itself; time and tide have done their worst to the wooden ship. But what does remain is fascinating. A school of fish swoops out of a hole in the wood and Grant would smile, if not for the equipment in his mouth. 

Frank points at his watch, then a larger hole. _We have time to explore inside,_ he means.

The "inside" of the hull, preserved by the coral, is a patchwork of light and shadow. It's utterly enchanting and Grant wishes Gerard could see it too. He keeps his eye out for potentially enchanted objects, but he thinks perhaps the trip would be worth it even if he doesn't find anything. The wreck feels still, quiet, at rest.

They make two passes of the site from bow to stern and back again. Grant marvels at the calcified wrought-iron railing, and he notes a brace of cannon, now home to a colorful variety of sea creatures. Grant swims closer and starts carefully inspecting the wreckage. He wants to disturb as little of the environment as possible. 

Frank has already started quartering the landward side of the wreck, but before long he's tapping on his wrist. Grant signals back, and they start the process of re-surfacing. Time always seems to speed up and slow down simultaneously under water. Grant isn't quite ready to surface, but they can come down again. 

Gerard is watching attentively when they climb onto the boat. Or else checking out their asses. It's a toss-up.

They divest themselves of their tanks and scuba gear. Frank unzips his wetsuit all the way down to his birds and flops down on the deck, gulping down the bottle of water that Gerard presses into his hand. Grant takes his own bottle gratefully; he finds that his mouth is quite dry.

"Shit, Gee," Frank breathes. "You have to go down next."

"I'm not really -" Gerard frowns. 

"You should," Grant tells him. "It's... it's something else. The ship has been absorbed into the reef; it's as though it's come alive."

"It's fucking amazing. And I promise you're plenty qualified," Frank encourages. "You want me to go with you?" Frank steps close to Gerard, who automatically curls his hands into Frank's open wetsuit.

"It's Grant's dive," Gerard points out. 

"I'm sure I could be persuaded to stay here," Grant says. 

"No, I… I could go with you? I wish we could all go," Gerard says. 

"Go get your suit," Frank tells him.

Gerard huffs, but Grant can see the excitement in his face as he fetches his gear from the locker. Frank makes sure that all the diving kit is still operating as it ought to be, swapping out used tanks for fresh ones.

"You'll have to watch the clock," Frank tells Grant. "He gets _really_ distracted down there."

"I know," Grant replies. "We've done this before." 

"Not enough," Frank replies.

Gerard finishes suiting up and kisses Frank on the cheek. "There will be plenty of chances," Gerard says. He looks over at Grant, and Grant doesn't know what to call the look in his eyes, but it makes his breath come faster. "Right, Grant?"

"Of course," Grant replies. He couldn't say no to Gerard if he tried. 

Frank's answering smile is absolutely gorgeous. It takes everything Grant has to not walk over there and kiss it off of his face. Instead, he drinks another bottle of water and prepares to go down again with Gerard. The biggest problem he has is that he won't be able to see the look of wonder on Gerard's face. He supposes listening to him gush afterwards will be sufficient. 

"Keep your eyes peeled," he tells Gerard. "Frank and I were able to mark out the ship's skeleton; this time, I'd like to see if we can't find any areas that are unusually preserved."

Gerard nods and adjusts his mask. He straightens his shoulders and heads for the back apron.

Grant trails behind. Gerard's arse looks spectacular in the suit. He hears Frank giggle beside him. “I know, right?"

Sternly, Grant reminds himself that wetsuits hide nothing. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're on about."

"Liar," Frank says. Grant rolls his eyes, safely behind his mask.

He and Gerard jump back in the water. The sun is higher in the sky and it's a little brighter this time. They descend. Grant can't help but watch for Gerard's reaction on seeing the reef, and he's not disappointed; Gerard, even behind the mask, is clearly awed. 

They swim into the hull again, and Grant pays special attention to the solid spots this time. When he's not watching Gerard follow fish. Forcing himself not to watch Gerard and focus is far, far harder than he even expected it to be. But then Gerard stills and motions for him. 

Grant swims over. Gerard has stopped in front of a coral formation at _Le Acheron_ 's bow. At first, Grant doesn't see anything to set this area of the reef apart from the others. Swimming closer, however, he starts to realize what Gerard must be seeing. The shape of the formation itself; breaks in the coral revealing wave-washed wood; the carved shape of an eye...

_It's the figurehead._

She's beautiful. Grant wonders if he can get Frank to bring his underwater camera down on their next dive. And then Grant swims closer, and there's a rush of _feeling_ that is most decidedly not his own. 

It crashes over Grant like a wave: anguish and loss and guilt and a yearning so desperate it's like he's been hollowed out. For a long moment, he can't untwist the threads of his own feelings from the ones that have wrapped themselves around him. He looks at Gerard, but there's no hand signal that will ask if Gerard feels it too.

He's proven wrong when Gerard moves closer and reaches for Grant's hand. Grant squeezes tight and looks back to the lady. 

Clearly, this is the "precious object" that _Le Acheron_ was carrying. And Grant feels confident in saying that they've discovered the source of _Le Vueve Tempéte_ , too; clearly, something otherworldly is happening here. 

But what is it about the figurehead? Grant swims closer, bracing his senses against a fresh onslaught of supernatural emotion. It's almost overwhelming, but he breathes steadily and carefully examines her. Gerard sticks close, not releasing Grant's fingers until he must. _Help me_ , Grant thinks, on the off chance the _Le Vueve_ can hear him. 

Grant’s suddenly grateful that he's here with people who are inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt in these things, because Gerard sticks close and just does little circuits of the area while Grant studies the wooden woman. She's beautiful, even covered in barnacles and missing a chunk of her side. Grant wonders what she was like when she was new, setting out to explore the seas for the first time. What's more, she's _alive_. The reef has grown up around her, filling in the parts of her that the ocean has washed away, crowning her in coral. 

Gerard swims up and taps Grant's arm, then his watch. Grant nods and they start their ascent back to the surface. He needs to do more research. Utilize the satellite Internet connection and see what else he can find. He desperately wants to help her. 

As soon as they're above the water, Gerard is pushing up his mask and saying, "Holy _fuck_. Grant, that was-"

"I know," Grant replies, heading for the boat's ladder. 

Frank helps them both up onto the boat. "We found it," Grant tells him. "We… fuck, she's gorgeous."

Gerard is busy stripping off his gear. "Fuck," he gasps, and then he's launching himself into Frank's arms and clinging. "She's so _sad_ ," he whispers.

"Um, who is?" Frank says with a frown.

" _Le Vueve_ ," Grant says quietly. "She's… indeed very, very sad." Frank holds Gerard close with one arm and reaches out to touch Grant's arm. 

"Okay. You saw the ghost? Underwater?"

"No," Grant says, but he struggles to find the words to explain what they'd seen. It must show on his face, because Frank uses his hand on Grant's arm to tug Grant in until he's folded in with the two of them.  
He presses his face against Frank's warm hair. "She's the figurehead," he murmurs. "Very definitely… present." He sighs. "I am very lucky to have the two of you, who believe me."

They hold him tightly. They're warm and wonderful and fuck, he loves them. _Le Vueve's_ loss is echoing in his own heart and making him ache.

He takes a deep breath. "We need to do more research," he says after several minutes. "If there's anything we can do to free her, I'd like to try."

Frank kisses the top of his head. "Course," he murmurs. "We'll do whatever we can." 

Grant takes another deep breath and squeezes them tight before pulling away. "Research," he murmurs. 

"I'll get the satellite set up for you while you and Gerard change," Frank says.

"Thank you, darling," Grant says. Gerard disentangles himself from Frank with a kiss, and the two of them head belowdecks. Gerard's hand knocks against Grant's as they walk and, briefly, Grant tangles their fingers together. 

Gerard squeezes back and disappears through the door of his cabin. Grant closes his own cabin door firmly behind him and rubs his hands over his head and sighs before stripping out of his suit and putting his clothes on. 

He sighs again when Gerard comes up from the cabins a few minutes after Grant wearing cutoffs and a shredded sleeveless t-shirt. Concentration is going to be impossible. All he wants is to wrap himself around them again. The longing in his chest is, impossibly, stronger than it had been last night, thanks to their encounter with _Le Veuve_. He knows he needs distance, but he can't deny them when they ask him to stay, either. 

He sighs again and forces himself to sit down at the laptop and pull up one of his best databases. He sends an email to Vince with the details of the encounter, as well as his observations of the wreck and surrounding reef. Vince is one of his best friends, and his ability to look at research questions from an entirely different angle has been invaluable to Grant on a number of occasions.

Frank comes up behind him and lays a hand on his neck. "You don't want to go back down today?" 

Grant breathes in through his nose. "Not today… I… she's so sad." Grant lets himself push up into Frank's hand, just a little. He's lucky whenever he finds people who don't laugh at his psychic tendencies, much more so to find others who have similar sensitivities.

"We're gonna help her, babe," Frank murmurs and kisses the top of his head. Grant nods, not trusting himself to speak. 

Grant pulls himself closer to the computer and starts surfing, but he can't make his thoughts settle enough to really concentrate. He can see out of the corner of his eye how Gerard melts into Frank's side. He's not unaffected either.

"Grant, come here," Gerard murmurs quietly, and Grant pushes back his chair. He moves toward them and Gerard pulls him close again. 

"I've emailed Vince," Grant tells them. 

"Good," Frank says, stroking a hand down Grant's back. 

Gerard says, "I know you want to research, Grant, but I was thinking lunch?"

"Perhaps that would be best," Grant says. "I feel--" 

"Cold?" Gerard asks. Grant nods. 

"I'll make lunch," Frank says and leaves the two of them standing on the deck. Gerard pulls him over to a bench and pushes him down, then wraps around him unselfconsciously.

This morning, Grant had resolved to stop this, for the sake of his sanity. Now, he pulls Gerard close and buries his face in Gerard's ridiculous sun-bleached hair. 

*** 

Frank puts together a taco salad, full of spice and warmth because Grant and Gerard are cold. He can't deny that he's extremely curious about what they saw, but for now, he'll let them warm up again. And do his best to help. He hates seeing people he cares about sad. And when it's two people he loves, it's even worse than normal.

When he carries the bowl back up to the deck, he sees that Gerard has coaxed Grant to curl up on one of the built-ins and is fleetingly jealous. Grant hasn't seemed to want them near today, not before the second dive. Frank wonders why he pulled away like that. That's not like him at all. He swallows and dishes them both up some food. 

"That smells awesome," Gerard smiles when Frank pushes a bowl into his hands. Grant takes his bowl with a murmur of thanks. Frank decides to chance sitting down on Grant's other side and leaning against him, trying to press the warmth back into him.

Grant lets him, and Frank stifles a sigh and picks up his own bowl. They eat quietly for a few minutes. "This is perfect, Frank," Grant says softly. 

"I'm glad," Frank says.

"What now?" Gerard whispers.

"We continue regrouping and researching. We can go back tomorrow," Grant says. "I don't think… I can't bring myself to go back today."

"It was a lot," Gerard agrees. "It felt like... it felt like she'd lost the ones she loved. Fuck, I'm really glad to have the two of you here with me."

"Mourning her crew," Grant adds. "But how? A piece of wood, however beautiful, is not a human soul."

"Maybe the person who carved her was special. Or they did something special," Frank suggests. 

"Or the wood itself," Gerard points out. "Because there's no fucking way she should still be as well-preserved as she is, not after hundreds of years. Especially not with how she's been absorbed into the reef."

"Perhaps both," Grant says. He empties his bowl and Frank takes it from his hands and sets it away, and leans close again. He sounds so tired. So sad. 

Frank runs a hand up his chest and presses his lips against Grant's shoulder. Grant's lips part in a barely-audible sigh. Fuck, Frank _knows_ that Grant wants them. He knows it. But now...is this the time to press?

"I should see if Vince has replied," Grant murmurs, but neither Frank nor Gerard will let him up. Not that he tries very hard to move. 

Eventually, Gerard does climb to his feet. "I'll take these down," he murmurs, collecting their bowls and heading for the stairs. Frank tucks his face against Grant's neck, because he's there and it fits perfectly. He feels Grant shift, feels fingers in his hair. 

"D'you think we should move the boat?" Frank murmurs. 

"Closer to the island?" Grant suggests. "Perhaps. I - I'm sorry to cancel the afternoon dive." 

"Don't be," Frank says, pulling back to look at Grant's face. "I mean, technically it's your call anyway, boss man. But even if it weren't, it would still be fine." Grant looks upset. Was it the "boss man" thing? "Whatever you need, Grant," Frank says firmly, hoping that Grant understands. "Not because this is your dive; because I - we- care about you a whole fucking lot. Whatever you need is fine." 

Grant just nods and goes back to the computer. Frank has to talk to Gerard, because something here has to give. 

Gerard comes back up a few minutes later, and after a brief discussion, Frank gets them headed towards the little island closest to the dive site. There's a tiny cove there that will do nicely, and Frank settles the _Elena Lee_ there with the ease of practice. 

"It's pretty," Gerard says, giving him a little nuzzle. 

" _You're_ pretty," Frank says, wrapping an arm around Gerard's waist. More quietly, he says, "Grant's really shaken up." 

"I'm a little shaken up too," Gerard points out. "That was fucking intense. But Grant - I hope it's not... did we do something? We haven't done anything different than normal." 

"I don't know," Frank admits. 

"You could ask." Grant's standing at the top of the steps. 

"Did we?" Frank asks and bites his lip to keep from blurting out anything else. 

"You," Grant begins, but then he stops himself. He takes a breath, and begins again. "You and Gerard are always kinder to me than I deserve." 

"That's not true!" Gerard protests. "You deserve so fucking much." Grant laughs, but it sounds a little hollow. 

"Can you just tell us what's wrong?" Frank says. "Like. No crap, just tell us." 

Grant closes his eyes and he takes a breath. When he opens them, he looks just as sad as he did after he came up out of the water the second time. "All right. The truth is, I'm in love with the two of you, and every scrap of kindness you show me is a reminder of everything I can't have." 

Frank's heart kicks, and it feels like all the air has left his lungs. It's one thing to hope, but to hear Grant say it like that... And yet, he sounds so defeated. 

"Grant," Gerard murmurs; his fingers twitch in that way Frank knows means he really wants a cigarette. "What makes you think you can't have… _anything_ from us?" 

"Don't," Grant says, sharply. "My fucking heart has had enough today." 

"Like we'd do anything out of pity. Don't you know anything about us?" Frank frowns. 

"Grant, we love you too," Gerard says earnestly. "So fucking much. Why do you think we keep… we _love_ you." 

Grant lets out a ragged exhale. Fuck, he looks like he's in _pain_. Frank can fix this. "We really love you. The way you apparently don't think we mean." He walks over and takes Grant's hand.

"I..." Grant says and trails off. Gerard steps close.

"We do, Grant. Just last night we... we were going to tell you, but you'd closed your door."

"It hurt too much," Grant admits. "The two of you are perfect for each other, and I -"

"Closed your door when we wanted you to open it," Gerard finishes.

Grant takes a deep breath. And then another. And then the smile that spreads across his face makes Frank's heart beat faster, makes his stomach flip. 

"Fucking finally," Gerard says, grinning. 

Frank doesn't have words; all he can do is leap. Grant catches him, of course, not that Frank was worried. "We're keeping you," he tells Grant before kissing him thoroughly enough to prevent any more argument. Grant's arms tighten around him and they kiss until neither of them can breathe anymore. "Love you, love you, love you," Frank gasps out when he pulls back. 

Grant presses their foreheads together. "I love the both of you so fucking much," he says. Gerard presses in close and puts his hand on Grant's cheek.

"About time, Grant," he says, and leans in for his own kiss. Frank smiles as he watches their lips move together. Fuck, they're hot. Grant slides his hand into the fucked-up wreck that is Gerard's t-shirt, and Gerard gasps. 

"It would be so easy to rip this right off of you," Grant murmurs. "Don't think I haven't been tempted a thousand times."

Gerard grins like the cat that got the canary. "Why do you think I wear them? Easy access."

"Very easy," Frank agrees, pressing up behind Gerard and leaning in to kiss Grant again.

"I have no idea - no. I have too many ideas what to do with the two of you," Grant breathes when Frank lets him go.

"No such thing as too many ideas," Gerard says. 

Grant laughs. "I suppose not with you two. How will this old man ever keep up with the pair of you?"

"Told you before," Frank murmurs, leaning in to bite at Grant's collarbone and grinding up against Gerard's ass in the process. "No old men here."

"Let's go down to our cabin," Gerard gasps. "I have - I need -"

"You need to get fucked is what you need," Frank says with a laugh. Gerard moans. 

"Christ," Grant says, leaning forward and biting at Gerard's front lip. Frank shifts around behind Grant and starts herding them belowdecks. Grant's ass, he's pleased to discover, feels every bit as nice as he always suspected.

Grant stops halfway down the steps to lean back and kiss Frank. Frank smiles against his mouth and gives him a tiny shove forward. "Eyes on the prize, boss man." Grant huffs, but he's grinning as he continues down the stairs to where Gerard is impatiently waiting. Very impatiently, because he's already stripping. Grant steps forward to help him.

It doesn't exactly take much to get Gerard's ratty t-shirt and shorts off, and Grant immediately pulls him close, hands stroking over his ass. Frank tosses his own shirt off and moves off the last step. "There's a bed in there," he says. 

"A nice one," Gerard adds. "Pretty big, for a boat at least. Not that I want my space." He licks his lips and tugs on the drawstring of Grant's shorts. Frank grabs the waistband and helps Gerard tug them down. Wetsuits don't hide much, but seeing Grant's cock… Jesus. 

"Yeah," Gerard breathes, licking his lips. "Yeah, I'm going to need you to fuck me. Like, right now."

"Our needs match up very nicely, then," Grant replies. Frank laughs. "And you… I want to blow you," Grant tells him. 

"I like the sound of that," Frank tells him, and he pushes open the cabin door.

Gerard sits on the bed and moves back against the pillows, spreading his legs invitingly. "Oh," Grant murmurs. He settles himself onto the bed and crawls forward, running his hands up the insides of Gerard's thighs. Gerard sighs with pleasure and tilts his head back, baring his throat. "Yes, you _do_ like to have attention paid to your neck, don't you?" Grant murmurs. 

"It's his second favorite place to have sucked," Frank confirms and gets on the bed next to them. 

Grant takes the hint and lowers his mouth to the soft skin above Gerard's collarbone. Gerard's mouth falls open and he gasps, "Yeah, Grant, just like that-" 

"I've seen so many marks on your skin and wished I'd been there to see you get them," Grant murmurs. 

"Now you can give them," Frank tells him. 

"Gladly," Grant says, biting at Gerard's throat and making him keen. "Oh, I know that sound," Grant says, chuckling. "I've heard it so many fucking times." 

"Perv," Gerard says breathily. 

"Exhibitionist," Grant replies, and dips his head again. Frank isn't sure his brain can take how gorgeous Gerard and Grant are together. He wraps a hand loosely around his cock, but he doesn't start jacking it yet. With his free hand, he reaches for the lube and tosses it on the bed where Grant can reach it. 

Grant fumbles for it and pours some over his fingers. He doesn't hesitate to press two fingers right in. Gerard moans and Frank breathes in sharply, watching his back arch. Grant's mouth has shifted to Gerard's nipples and he doesn't even pause. Gerard's going to fucking lose it in no time. 

"Do I need to distract you, baby?" Frank asks Gerard. Gerard just moans again and Frank moves close, cups Gerard's cheek, and crushes their lips together. He stretches out by Gerard's side, helps Grant press Gerard's thigh out of the way, and lays his head on Gerard's shoulder. He wants to watch this. 

"You don't need anything else, do you," Grant says to Gerard. It's not really a question, and Gerard knows it, but he shakes his head anyway. 

"N- no. Just, fuck, just you. Fuck me." 

"We don't have condoms," Frank says quietly. "If you're…" he looks at Gerard. "We trust you." 

Grant leans in and kisses him. "I am disease free, I promise you that." Frank smiles and kisses him back. 

Grant pulls back and presses his lips against Gerard's jaw, then lines up to press inside him. Frank's watching his face when he does it, and that - that is what bliss looks like. Gerard's noise sounds just as blissful. It's an incredible rush. Frank has to give himself a couple of strokes, just to take the edge off. He reaches out to stroke a hand over Grant's head and down over his shoulder. "So goddamn gorgeous." 

"The only thought - in my head - when I look at you," Grant breathes. Frank looks at Gerard. He's biting his lip and staring at Grant with those big, beautiful eyes. 

"Start moving, Grant," Frank tells him. Grant does, working deeper into Gerard's body with smooth, even thrusts. He leans down so their lips meet, and Frank watches them kiss with a smile tugging at his lips, listening to Gerard's muffled moans. Frank takes one of Gerard's hands in his. Gerard laces their fingers together and squeezes tight. "Should have been doing this for so fucking long," Frank murmurs. Gerard just squeezes his fingers tighter and moans, and Grant turns his head and kisses the closest bit of Frank he can reach. It's his shoulder, but that's okay. Frank leans in to kiss below Grant's ear. "Make him come, baby." 

"Please," Gerard gasps, "oh fuck, Grant, you feel so fucking good-" 

"So do you," Grant gasps. "Oh, fuck." 

Grant's hips speed up and he drives into Gerard hard and fast. Frank holds on to both of them, kissing Grant's arm, Gerard's cheek, reaching to stroke Gerard's cock - but he's not going to need it, not really. Gerard's back arches and his hips kick, and he stutters out a series of sharp, quick moans. Grant thrusts once, twice and Gerard comes entirely undone. Grant thrusts through it, lips pressed against the base of Gerard's throat. His eyes are squeezed shut and he's breathing through his nose and he keeps moving. Frank can tell the exact moment Grant comes by his ragged inhale, his breathed, "Gerard -" 

Frank feels hot all over, and he's so, so fucking hard, just from watching the two of them fuck. Gerard is all loose and glowing, a careless sprawl of limbs and tangled hair, and Grant is gasping and shuddering and clutching at the sheets. 

Gerard squeezes Frank's hand one last time and pulls away so he can wrap his arms around Grant's neck. "So good," Gerard whispers. "Love you so much." Grant buries his face in Gerard's hair, breathing hard. Gerard turns his head a little to catch Frank's eye, an indescribable smile on his face.

"Frankie," he whispers. "You waited?" 

"Still waiting," Frank says breathlessly. "Take your time."

Grant turns his head and looks at Frank and his breath catches in his throat. "I want your cock in my mouth, gorgeous," Grant says. 

"Yeah?" Frank gives his cock a couple of lazy strokes, gasping a little at how fucking good it feels. 

"Oh, yes. Make yourself comfortable."

"You could make me more comfortable," Frank says with a grin. 

Grant disentangles himself from Gerard's arms with a parting kiss, and crawls up the bed to where Frank is waiting. "I'll admit," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the crease of Frank's thigh, "'comfort' is not necessarily my intention." 

"I hope it's not discomfort," Frank quips, trying to hold himself still as Grant's stubble tickles his skin.

"Decidedly not," Grant replies and moves his mouth up to the soft skin below Frank's belly button. 

Frank reaches down and cups the back of Grant's head. "C'mon," he says, "you said you wanted to suck me off."

"Tell me how much you want it," Grant replies, licking gently up the underside of Frank's cock. Gently.

"Fuck, Grant. So fucking much. Been thinking about your mouth so long," he murmurs and stokes down Grant's cheek and to the corner of his lips. Grant takes the tips of Franks fingers into his mouth and sucks, and there's a wicked gleam in his eyes. 

"He's going to die," Gerard observes muzzily.

"Hope it won't come to that," Grant murmurs and takes Frank's cock into his mouth all at once.

Frank moans loud. "Oh fuck fuck fuck. _Grant_." His mouth is hot and the suction is just fucking right. 

"Yeah, baby, that's it. Let him suck you." Gerard's getting back into this; Frank can't fucking take much more. He nuzzles against Frank's cheek and runs a hand over his chest. Frank's hips hitch up and he thrusts into Grant's mouth. Grant relaxes his throat and lets it happen, thumbs soothing little circles into Frank's skin. 

Frank reaches out and takes one of Grant's hands in his and holds on tight. If it were Gerard, he'd just put his hands in his hair. He can't exactly do that with Grant. He gasps and lets his back arch again, making tight little thrusts that still coax a moan out of him - and out of Grant. The vibration takes Frank by surprise.

Grant's fingers clench in his and he swallows around Frank's cock. "So fucking incredible," Gerard murmurs and reaches out to twist one of Frank's nipples between his fingers. 

"Fuck," Frank bites out. "Fuck, fuck, _Grant_ -"

Grant keeps sucking, letting his tongue press up against the base of Frank's cock. "He's so close, Grant," Gerard says. "Just a little more."

Grant does _something_ with his tongue, and Gerard leans over and bites at Frank's chest, and that's it, Frank's done. He arches up and comes hard into Grant's mouth, squeezing Grant's hand so tight it must hurt. Grant just squeezes back. He doesn't pull away until Frank is completely done. 

"Oh, holy fuck," Frank breathes. When he can. He tugs at Grant until he's up against the pillows with them. 

Grant leans in to kiss him and he tastes like Frank and fuck, that's fucking hot. Frank throws his leg over Grant's and wraps his arms around him. "So fucking happy," he murmurs against Grant's lips. Next to him, Gerard makes a wordless noise of contented agreement.

"I have a brilliant idea, loves," Grant murmurs back. "Let's take the rest of the night off."

"Not gonna argue with that," Gerard says happily. They're a tangle of limbs and hands and it's true. Frank hasn't felt this viscerally happy in a long time. It's nice. 

"We should have talked about this sooner," Frank says. 

"Except we wouldn't have gotten out on the boat at all, and Shaun already complains about the public nudity," Gerard muses.

Frank bursts out laughing. "Yeah, point. And I like that it's just the three of us."

"I always like it when it's the three of us," Gerard says. "On the boat or at the house or- always."

"Tomorrow, though," Grant starts. 

"Tomorrow we finish research and help the lady and do some dives," Frank says. "But that's tomorrow."

Grant traces the lines of Frank's tattoos with a fingertip. The sensation slides up and down Frank's spine and he shivers. "And later tonight?" Grant murmurs.

"We fuck again. Duh," Frank says with a grin. 

Gerard punctuates this statement with a lazy roll of his hips, and Grant laughs. He seems so much _lighter_ than he'd been earlier, even before the second dive. Frank has to kiss his smile. "Aye aye, captain," Grant says when they pull apart again.

Grant shifts a bit and Gerard drapes himself over Grant's chest. Frank leans in to kiss him too. "This is going to be so good," Gerard says, when they break apart.

"The best," Frank agrees. "Just maybe don't put this part in your book." 

"Or maybe you should," Gerard replies. "Instant best seller. Just look at Fifty Shades of Grey." 

Grant laughs. "Does that mean someone's getting tied up?" 

"You, if you try to leave," Frank tells him.

"Won't happen," Grant replies. "At least not for a while. But I might be amenable to being tied up anyway."

"Interesting," says Frank, biting at Grant's shoulder. Grant just tangles his hand in Frank's hair and holds him there. He'd give them anything, Frank thinks. It's sort of scary, but mostly just unexpected and amazing. He wonders how much time they can convince Grant to spend on the island. Maybe they can get him to give up LA altogether. 

Frank can feel Gerard's breaths even out as he drifts off. Grant's, too. He likes this. He likes this a lot.

 

*** 

 

Gerard wakes up completely disoriented the next morning. It takes him a moment to wake up and fully remember why there are so many limbs tangled in his. He shifts and _definitely_ remembers. 

Frank is wrapped in Grant's arms, one of Grant's big hands splayed out across Frank's chest. God, all it takes is one look at them and all he wants to do is fuck. Again. It's sort of sweet, though. He loves to watch Frank sleep. Grant is just as good. 

He leans in and slides his lips over Grant's cheek. And subsides back and just watches. Grant stirs, but he doesn't open his eyes, not yet. Gerard runs his fingers through Frank's hair instead. Frank blinks awake and smiles at him brilliantly. 

"Hey," Gerard murmurs. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Oh good, it wasn't a dream," Frank whispers back.

"Not a dream," Gerard confirms. Frank rubs his smiling face against Grant's shoulder. Grant's arms tighten around Frank's body, and he murmurs a wordless protest.

"You can sleep more, but the lady is waiting," Frank murmurs. 

"Is that any way to talk about Gerard?" Grant rasps, cracking an eye open.

Frank laughs hoarsely and Gerard joins him. "Hey, I am a fucking fabulous lady." 

"I have no doubt," Grant tells him, and Gerard leans down to claim a sleepy kiss. Grant tugs on Gerard's hair - he seems fascinated with it - and holds him close for a minute. 

Gerard takes a deep breath. Fuck, he loves his life. Last night they'd had dinner and watched the sun set over the sea and then he'd blown Grant right there on the deck. Frank had watched with hungry eyes, and when Grant had finished, he'd pressed Gerard down onto the deck and pushed inside of him with barely any prep. Gerard had shouted Frank's name across the water when he came. When Grant said he felt like there was magic in the air, Gerard believed him. 

Now, Grant shifts up onto his elbows and drops kisses on Frank's lips, his cheeks, his collarbones. Frank sighs happily and Gerard knows he's smiling that one smile that means he's really happy and a little turned on, even though Grant is blocking his face from Gerard's view. Gerard fucking loves that smile, and he's glad Grant gets to see it too. 

"So," says Frank, a little breathlessly, "breakfast? Or..." 

"Breakfast," Grant replies. "In a few minutes." He leans in to kiss Frank again. Frank doesn't seem to mind. 

Gerard sneaks out of bed to start coffee. They join him a few minutes later. Frank's hair is adorably mussed, and Grant is wearing nothing but the swim trunks with the hideously wonderful flower pattern, and Gerard thinks they're the best thing he's ever seen. Grant envelopes him in a tight hug and Gerard smiles against his skin. "I love you," he murmurs. 

Grant pulls back a little bit and presses his forehead against Gerard's. "Amazing what a difference a day can make," he murmurs and rubs his thumbs back and forth over the small of Gerard's back.

"I loved you yesterday, too," Gerard points out. 

"But I didn't know," Grant replies. "And that makes all the difference in the world. Knowing." 

"Knowing is awesome," Frank agrees, coming up to them and handing Grant a cup of coffee. 

"Thank you, love," Grant says. "May I ask for the computer again?" 

"Course," Frank replies and goes over to get the satellite link up and running. 

"I feel much better about diving down there now as well," Grant admits to Gerard quietly. Gerard leans in to kiss him. 

"We'll help her. Whoever.... Whatever she is. You have no reason to be lonely." 

Grant smiles. "Very true. The two of you have been making my life infinitely less lonely since the day I met you." They stand quietly together sipping their coffee until Frank comes back over and tells Grant that the linkup is ready. Grant heads over to the laptop, and Gerard pulls Frank close and wraps him in his arms. 

"Frankie, I love you so much," he whispers. Frank tips his head up for a kiss, and Gerard gives it to him gladly. 

"I love you too," Frank says when he pulls away from the kiss and nods toward Grant. "How'd we get so lucky?" 

"Because we're good people who deserve to be happy?" Gerard offers. 

"Sounds about right," Frank agrees.

"Got an email back from Vince," Grant calls out. "He seems to think the wood she was carved from is special and he's doing more research." 

"I'll make breakfast while we wait," Frank says. "If we don't hear back, should we dive anyway?" 

"I'd like that," Grant tells him. "Perhaps you could come with me this time?" 

Frank nods. "I wanna take some pictures down there. Dunno if pictures can really capture it, but I gotta try." 

"Sounds perfect," Grant says. Frank heads below to start breakfast. Grant hums at the computer a bit longer, then closes it and huffs out a long breath, running his hands over his head. 

Gerard leans down and kisses him. "Maybe a bit of a swim while Frank cooks? Clear the cobwebs." 

"You coming with me?" Grant asks. 

Gerard grins. "Sure!" He pushes his shorts off without further ado. "What? We're the only ones here." The look on Grant's face... Fuck. Gerard feels his grin turn sharper. He turns and pads towards the back of the boat.

He likes skinny dipping best. He doesn't get to do it nearly often enough. The water is perfect and Gerard swims in a wide half circle around the back of the boat. Grant dives in too fast for Gerard to tell if he's decided to go _au naturel _, but he has a feeling he'll find out.__

__A moment later, Grant surfaces, and he swims towards Gerard with a boyish grin. Fuck, Gerard loves him so much. He swims into Gerard's space and bumps him gently. Gerard wraps his arms around Grant's neck and draws him closer as he treads water. "Knew you'd like my idea," he teases when all he feels between them is water and skin._ _

__"Embracing life in the tropics," Grant grins._ _

__"Speaking of," Gerard says after they stop kissing. "We were serious when we said we wanted you here more."_ _

__"I had hoped so," Grant replies. "Enough to start plotting how to make it work. It involves subletting my lease in LA, I'm sure this will thrill Frank."_ _

__"He'll be over the fucking moon," Gerard assures him._ _

__Grant laughs. "I figured as much. I will still need to go to LA at least once a year."_ _

__"Maybe...maybe you'd want company." Gerard smiles hopefully._ _

__"I always want the two of you with me," Grant tells him. "I... I've been in love with you two for a long fucking time, Gerard. I was just very, very good at telling myself that you weren't for me."_ _

__"Frank would object for show, but he'd come. And you could make the annual trip to Jersey with us?" Gerard asks._ _

__"Wouldn't miss a chance to see Donna," Grant says teasingly. Gerard groans._ _

__Grant obligingly slides a hand down the curve of his spine and cups his ass, giving him something entirely different to groan about. And then he swims away, which makes Gerard laugh and send a big wave of water after him._ _

__They chase each other around the boat a few times before Frank calls their names. He must have seen the little piles of clothing they left, but he still goes a little wide-eyed when they climb back onto the boat naked and streaming water. "Breakfast," he says, but he says it like he's trying to convince himself not to jump them._ _

__"Most important meal of the day," Grant says cheerfully. He grabs a towel and throws one to Gerard. Frank makes a little irritated noise, and Gerard snickers._ _

__After breakfast, Frank gets his own back by pushing Grant down onto one of the built-ins, climbing into his lap and kissing the fuck out of him. Gerard really fucking enjoys watching them. Loves hearing the sounds that Grant's touches pull from Frank, loves seeing the way Grant's hands flex just a little bit on Frank's back when Frank does something particularly skilled with his tongue. And it's probably appropriate payback for all the times Grant has caught them making out, if Gerard's being honest. The difference is, Gerard doesn't feel at all bad about tugging Frank out of the way and stealing his own kisses from Grant._ _

__Frank, of course, gets his payback by sucking Gerard's earlobe into his mouth. Gerard gasps against Grant's lips. "We really do have to wait for Grant's email," Frank whispers._ _

__"I can think of a few things we could do while we wait," Gerard agrees. They don't manage all the things floating in Gerard's head, but it doesn't matter. There are lips and hands and the morning sun and Gerard is completely content._ _

__

__***_ _

__

__Grant is fairly sure utter sensual exhaustion is the only thing keeping him from jumping out of his skin waiting for Vince to reply. Frank suggests they go down anyway, and starts instructing Grant on the underwater camera equipment in an adorably serious fashion. His expression must give him away; Frank scowls at him and says, "If you're not going to pay attention..."_ _

__"I am! I am also appreciating how delightful it is to watch you explain about things you care about," Grant replies. Frank rolls his eyes. "I am paying careful attention," Grant says solemnly. "You may punish me severely if I ruin your shoot."_ _

__"I _will,_ " Frank promises. Grant can't help his shiver. Frank smirks and leans up to kiss his cheek. "Check your email one last time before we go down." _ _

__There isn't anything yet, though Vince has sent another note that he's trying to access a particular archive._ _

__Gerard hovers close as they suit up for the dive. He's clearly fretting, though he's also clearly trying to hide it. "We shall be fine, my love," Grant tells him and cups his cheeks in his hands. "We're going to take some pictures and come back up. Nothing more."_ _

__Gerard nods. "Okay, Grant. I'll be - it will all be fine, I know."_ _

__"It will," Frank agrees, pressing a quick kiss to the worried slant of Gerard's lips._ _

__Grant squeezes his hand. "She can't affect me nearly as much now as she did yesterday."_ _

__"Well, keep an eye on your time. I'll be lonely up here." Gerard smiles sideways and waves them toward the apron._ _

__Hitting the water is less of a thrill than it was this morning, but Grant's thoughts are turning to the lady. He wasn't lying to Gerard. As he'd already been feeling down, the lady's effects had been increased. But Gerard had been affected as well, so he's not entirely certain what will happen when he comes face to face with her again. Plus, Frank hasn't yet at all, and he's more sensitive than he'd like to let on._ _

__The start the process of descending. Grant leads Frank to the bow of the ship, where the lady awaits. She takes his breath away and they're not even close enough to _feel_ her. Frank gropes for the camera equipment and starts shooting. _ _

__Grant wishes, not for the first time, that they could talk down here. He doesn't want to wait until he gets back to the surface to hear Frank's thoughts. This time, Grant pays more attention to the area around the figurehead. He can't help but notice that the reef here is vibrant and bursting with life; more so than similar patches of reef that are farther away._ _

__She's been caring for the reef. Putting her energies into caring for all the life down there. She must feel guilty, he thinks, for not saving her crew. He knows how daft it sounds: at the same time, he's sure he's correct._ _

__As he draws nearer to her, he feels it: the rush of grief and loss. Grant notices that Frank has stopped taking photos, and swims close. Frank reaches out with his spare hand and takes one of Grant's. _I know,_ Grant thinks at him. He lets Frank look for a moment before pointing at a few different spots and miming photos. _ _

__He'd been right, though. The sadness, the yearning... He feels them, and they make his heart ache, but today it aches on her behalf instead of his own. Frank takes more pictures and they both swim around the area, making a more thorough investigation than he and Gerard had managed the previous day._ _

__He feels the rightness of his hypothesis, more than anything else. He knows the sunken lady's story. And a fascinating story it will make, but he really just wants to help her. He checks his watch and signals to Frank. It's time to surface; Gerard is waiting. Frank nods, snaps a few more shots, and they start their ascent._ _

__When they surface and pull themselves up onto the boat, Frank leans heavily against Grant's side. "Like, I knew what to expect. But… shit."_ _

__"I know, darling," Grant whispers. "Can we look at your photos?"_ _

__Gerard hauls them both in for hugs when they make it all the way up on deck. He gets Frank a blanket and wraps it around his shoulders as Frank gets the camera hooked up to view the pictures on the computer screen. They're beautiful. Frank has a good eye and a great deal of talent; every bit as much as Gerard in his own medium. And of course, the subject matter is gorgeous. She's awe-inspiring._ _

__"Frank, you really should publish a book of your photography. Calendars. Anything that will let people see your extraordinary talent," Grant tells him._ _

__Frank laughs. "Whatever you say."_ _

__"Was it better this time?" Gerard asks, quietly. Grant nods and reaches out to squeeze Gerard's hand._ _

__"Much better."_ _

__"Good." Gerard kisses the tip of his nose, then leans over Frank's shoulder._ _

__Grant gestures to the photographs. "I believe that whatever life the figurehead has, she's somehow passed it on to the reef around her. As though she's caring for it."_ _

__Gerard nods. "That would make sense. I mean. As far as any if this makes sense. Maybe that will help us somehow? If we can show her how much she's helping? I don't know."_ _

__"I have never conducted an underwater seance," Grant muses. "I don't know that it is possible."_ _

__"You never do go in for the easy book plots," Frank says._ _

__"It's a terrible habit and I should really break myself of it," Grant says with no small amount of humor. Mostly because he knows he never will. He squeezes into the breakfast nook next to Frank and tugs the laptop closer. "Fingers crossed," he murmurs._ _

__There's an email from Vince sitting in his inbox. The subject line reads, "Honoring the Dead."_ _

__Grant reads the message aloud. "The wood she was carved from was the sacred ash tree. The Greeks held they were inhabited by spirits, or shades. They were used in rituals of protection for homes and families - of course. She was made to watch over the ship. She needs to be assured her crew is being honored, mourned properly," Grant reads._ _

__"And how do we do that?" Frank says, frowning slightly._ _

__Grant scans the rest of the email. "We build them a memorial."_ _

__"I… we can do that," Frank says. "Might need to be a couple of different dives, though. Depending on how long it takes."_ _

__"We don't have much in the way of memorial materials on the boat, Grant," Gerard says slowly._ _

__"It needn't be complex," Grant assures him. "The ritual of it is likely the most important thing."_ _

__"Do we have a rosary anywhere?" Gerard asks Frank. "She might like that." Frank bites his lip. Grant's never really asked him about religion, but the Lady of Sorrows on his arm says he's got some sort of lingering emotional connection, if not an actual belief._ _

__"I... maybe," Frank says._ _

__"Maybe in the wheelhouse? I swear we had one hanging until I nearly strangled myself on it," Gerard says sheepishly._ _

__"We have a waterproof box or two somewhere," Frank says. "What if we put the memorial stuff in there and took it back down?"_ _

__"Nothing that could harm the reef," Grant points out. "Best to keep things simple."_ _

__Frank nods. "I wish we could talk down there. Someday we're gonna have to upgrade so we can."_ _

__Grant grabs a pad of paper and starts making a list. He hands it over to Gerard, while Frank goes back down below to find a box. Between the three of them, they come up with something that, Grant hopes, should work well both in the context of the rituals Vince had identified and in the reef itself._ _

__Gerard elects to make the dive with Grant down to take the box and do the rituals. Frank checks and double checks all their gear. He only stops when Grant grabs him and pulls him in for a kiss. "We won't know if it works, unless she comes back," Frank finally says._ _

__"I'll know," Grant replies._ _

__"Ready," Gerard asks._ _

__Grant nods. "As I'll ever be." They both kiss Frank before putting their mouthpieces in and jumping into the water. They don't explore this time, just dive straight for the prow of the ship. Gerard is carrying the box, so Grant just swims._ _

__He's going to have to touch her, he thinks, and hopes he can be careful enough to leave the coral undamaged. Frank had coached him earnestly on that. They'd said the mourning rites over the box's contents before the dive. Down here, it will be their actions that determine the success of the ritual._ _

__Grant stops in front of her and stares for a moment. She's been down here so long, she deserves rest. He forces himself to concentrate, to form his message to her in his mind. Gerard swims down to place the small metal box on the sandy bottom, weighting it down with a rock. Grant reaches out to touch his fingertips to the wood._ _

__He feels her._ _

__This, right here, this is why he writes the stories that he writes, why he's never even considered doing anything else. He sees Gerard cross himself out of the corner of his eye._ _

___We honor them,_ Grant thinks at her. _Their lives will be remembered by many. You have done your duty._ He pictures his book, knows suddenly that he can tell their story to the whole world. And will. _ _

__The reef plants sway in an underwater breeze. He feels her acknowledgement like the push and pull of the tide. And her relief. Gerard reaches out and touches her too. Grant isn't sure what he thinks, but a wave of gratitude surrounds them._ _

__Grant reaches out and touches his shoulder. They're done here. He can tell._ _

__When they surface, the wind and the waves are a shock after the stillness of the lady's garden. They swim to the back of the boat and pull themselves up. Frank is right there, helping them out of their gear._ _

__"How'd it go?"_ _

__"She understood," Gerard blurts excitedly._ _

__Frank looks to Grant; he nods. "Obviously we won't actually know until, well, hurricane season, but I don't think anyone will hear from her again. Unless they dive down to find her," Grant says._ _

__"She's part of the reef now," Frank says. "It's protected. So she is too."_ _

__Grant reaches out and tugs Frank to him. Frank comes easily, and Gerard is close behind, and they stand together in a tight knot. Despite their success, despite his happiness that they were able to help her, Grant feels strangely at a loss. He's glad he'll have his writing, glad he'll be able to tell her story._ _

__Tonight, he will take comfort in his boys and then they can go home. He'll be glad to feel some sand under his feet again._ _

__Frank takes it easy on the way home, but Grant can tell he's anxious to be on solid ground again too. Not for any lack of love for the _Elena Lee _. For - well, him.___ _

____It's an hour before sundown when they sail into the harbor. Together, they put the boat to sleep, deciding to wait to strike most of the gear until tomorrow. Grant stands on the deck and breathes in deeply. He has to laugh as everything continues to feel like it's tilting and shifting as if he were still on the boat. He always forgets the sensation of becoming used to standing on solid ground again._ _ _ _

____"It's gonna be so easy to sweep you off your feet, isn't it," Frank murmurs in his ear. Grant turns just enough to pull Frank into his arms. That he is allowed to do this... That's going to take getting used to, as well. He's going to enjoy every moment, though. Frank squeezes around his waist. "C'mon. Let's go pick up some food from Darla's and go home."_ _ _ _

____"I want the fried plantains," Grant says, helping tote a duffel to the jeep._ _ _ _

____"Anything you want, boss man," says Frank._ _ _ _

____Grant smiles. It sounds like an endearment. Grant suddenly realizes Frank meant it as one every time. "I want to see your bedroom," he confesses._ _ _ _

____Gerard shuts the Jeep's rear hatch with a flourish. "That's a coincidence," he says, walking over and tucking his chin over Grant's shoulder. "I want to see you in our bedroom."_ _ _ _

____"Fried plantains and tours of bedrooms coming right up," Frank says._ _ _ _

____Gerard lets him have the front seat again, and Frank drives with a hand on Grant's thigh this time. A few days ago, he'd honestly believed that this was something he'd never get to have. It's still a little hard to trust that it's real. But he trusts Frank and Gerard._ _ _ _

____They order their food to go and are back to the cottage in short order. They eat quickly and as soon as Grant finishes his last bite, Gerard is up and tugging Grant toward the bedroom._ _ _ _

____"Don't we have to wait twenty minutes?" Grant teases._ _ _ _

____"Old wives' tale," Gerard growls._ _ _ _

____Grant pushes Gerard against the wall next to the bedroom door. "I require scientific proof, I think." He captures Gerard's bottom lip between his teeth. Fuck, the noise Gerard makes. Grant wants to hear it again. He wants to hear it again immediately._ _ _ _

____Frank opens the bedroom door and ushers them inside. It's airy and warm and Grant's gaze is immediately drawn to the bed. It's neatly made, which Grant is certain is Frank's doing. It looks perfect and soft and Grant needs to be on it with one of them in his arms right the fuck now. Cool fingers touch his elbow, and he looks over to see Frank._ _ _ _

____"Hey there," Frank murmurs._ _ _ _

____"Hello," Grant replies and leans in to kiss Frank. He's suddenly much less desperate. He has them right here and they aren't going anywhere._ _ _ _

____"We have a rule about clothes in this bedroom, and you're breaking it," Frank murmurs in Grant's ear._ _ _ _

____"Mmmm, let's fix that, then," Grant tells them, and he reaches down to the hem of his t-shirt and pulls it up.  
Gerard helps him pull it over his head and then shoves his swim trunks down to his ankles._ _ _ _

____Their clothing is dealt with just as easily. Grant pictures them both in Scotland for a brief moment, of the layers he'd have to peel off of them both. He decides he wouldn't mind that much at all and lets Frank push him down onto the bed and crawl into his lap._ _ _ _

____Gerard crawls onto the bed beside them and laughs. "Impatient?"_ _ _ _

____"Yes," Frank says. Grant slides one hand into Frank's hair and the other down to cup his ass, tug him even closer. Their cocks slide together, and Frank gasps a little._ _ _ _

____"I've half a mind to make you talk first," Grant tells him._ _ _ _

____"Grant, please," Frank murmurs against his mouth. "Talk to me during."_ _ _ _

____"Anything," Grant promises. He bends down to mouth at Frank's neck. "I can't taste your tattoos," he murmurs. "I was half convinced I'd be able to."_ _ _ _

____"Sometimes I forget they _don't_ taste like India ink," Gerard says._ _ _ _

____Grant laughs a little and leans over to catch Gerard's lips in a kiss. He tastes sharp like the soda he just drank, and a little like cigarettes, even though he doesn't smoke as much as he used to and Frank won't let him smoke around the boat._ _ _ _

____"Maybe if you stopped chewing on your nails while inking, that would help," Frank teases when Grant pulls back._ _ _ _

____Gerard rolls his eyes and leans in to playfully bite at Frank's shoulder. "Chewing on Frank is not any better," Grant tells him._ _ _ _

____Gerard looks up at him with sparkling eyes. "He likes it, though."_ _ _ _

____"Oh, well. In that case..." Grant murmurs, and he ducks down to close his teeth gently over one of Frank's nipples. Frank whines and pushes into it. Grant licks gently, then squeezes his teeth a little harder._ _ _ _

____Frank moans, fingers digging into Grant's back. "Fuck, so good." Gerard's laugh is low and warm, and it hits Grant anew that this is something he gets to have._ _ _ _

____Gerard presses up against his back. "You're not sure what to do next, are you?"_ _ _ _

____"So many options," Grant answers. Gerard kisses his neck._ _ _ _

____"You could fuck him," Gerard suggests._ _ _ _

____Grant hums and reaches a hand backwards, tangles it in Gerard's hair and pulls him close. Gerard's cock grinds up against Grant's ass, and Grant can't help gasping into Gerard's mouth._ _ _ _

____It's Frank's turn to laugh, running a hand down Grant's side. "You want that?" he murmurs._ _ _ _

____"I want everything," Grant replies with feeling. "Everything you want to give me." Frank tugs Grant down for a lingering kiss. He feels Gerard's hands soothing over his skin, the backs of his shoulders._ _ _ _

____"Pretty sure that's everything. You get fucking everything you want," Gerard murmurs._ _ _ _

____"And if I want you to fuck me?" Grant asks._ _ _ _

____"What did I just say?" Gerard whispers in his ear._ _ _ _

____Grant reaches up to lace his fingers with Gerard's and turns his face to slide his lips along Gerard's jaw. "I want you to fuck me," he murmurs._ _ _ _

____"Fuck," Frank breathes, "it must be my birthday or something. Can't fucking wait to watch that."_ _ _ _

____"You really ought to participate," Grant tells him._ _ _ _

____"Oh, don't worry. I will. But I think you should fuck me first so I can give you both all of my attention," Frank replies._ _ _ _

____Grant has to close his eyes against that. "Yes," he tells them, vehemently. "Fuck, yes." Frank laughs and tugs him down so they're stretched full-length against each other. "Gerard, lube?" Grant asks as he kisses his way down Frank's jaw._ _ _ _

____The bed shifts and a bottle is pressed into Grant's hand._ _ _ _

____"Gorgeous," Grant murmurs. "It's unfair, how fucking pretty you two are."_ _ _ _

____"We lured you with our plumage," Frank smirks. "How is that unfair?"_ _ _ _

____Grant laughs and kisses him. "I suppose you have a point." He slicks up his fingers and reaches down to trace the curve of Frank's ass. He's so warm, and his skin is silky under Grant's hands. He makes the most delicious noise when Grant circles a fingertip around his opening._ _ _ _

____Grant leans down to kiss his chest and slowly slides his finger inside as Frank moans. He starts moving his finger and before long, Frank is begging for more._ _ _ _

____Gerard presses himself against Frank's side and catches his mouth in a slow, lush series of kisses. Frank isn't the only one who's going go be getting off on watching. Grant takes a deep breath to settle himself. He gives Frank another finger and crooks them to stroke over Frank's prostate. He moans Grant's name, loud and long._ _ _ _

____"Just like that," Gerard murmurs._ _ _ _

____"Oh, fuck, Grant," Frank breathes, squirming against Grant's fingers._ _ _ _

____Grant reaches out to give Frank's cock a few strokes as he adds a third finger. "So fucking eager," Grant says._ _ _ _

____"Never thought I'd get this," Frank tells him. "Fuck yeah, I want it now."_ _ _ _

____Grant leans down to kiss him, then pulls his fingers out and urges him to roll onto his side, then Grant slicks his cock and nestles up behind him. He positions himself and pushes slowly inside. Frank gasps for air and pushes back against Grant's cock._ _ _ _

____"Feel so good, Frankie."_ _ _ _

____Behind him, Gerard's breath is coming faster, too. "Don't come," he murmurs against Grant's shoulder._ _ _ _

____Grant barks out a laugh. "I'll try not to. Christ."_ _ _ _

____"Wanna feel you come with me inside you," Gerard whispers in his ear._ _ _ _

____Frank grabs for Gerard's hand and squeezes it, tight. "Tell him how he feels," Gerard urges Frank. He shifts to curl around their heads, playing with damp tendrils of Frank's hair._ _ _ _

____"So good," Frank breathes. "Feel so full. 'S perfect."_ _ _ _

____"What do you need, baby?" Gerard asks Frank. "Do you want my hand? Or do you want to fuck my mouth, mess me up a little?"_ _ _ _

____"Suck me," Frank chokes out, hips jerking, which makes Grant gasp. Gerard moves again, puts a hand on Grant's hip and takes Frank's cock in his mouth. Frank's hips stutter forward into Gerard's mouth and back again. Fuck, that's good. Grant lifts up on his elbow so he can see and thrusts his hips and watches Frank fuck into Gerard's mouth. "Gee," Frank moans. Grant slides his hand down to tangle his fingers with Gerard's._ _ _ _

____"Make him come, love," Grant tells him. Gerard bobs his head, sucking hard and holding on to Grant's fingers._ _ _ _

____Frank breathes heavily. "Fuck," he gasps out and his hips snap forward into Gerard's mouth. Grant feels him start to come and grits his teeth; it feels entirely too good and he has to hold out for Gerard. Frank's eyes are screwed tightly shut, and he's panting. "Fuck," he says. "Oh, fuck me. You two are going to kill me."_ _ _ _

____"Shh," Grant whispers. Gerard pulls off and squirms up to kiss him._ _ _ _

____"We love you," he whispers. Frank just nods and reaches up and behind to cup Grant's cheek. Grant kisses his jaw and pulls out with a moan. He can't touch himself because he's fairly certain he'd come immediately if he did._ _ _ _

____"Get on your knees for me?" Gerard asks._ _ _ _

____"Fuck," Grant whispers. "All right."_ _ _ _

____He kisses Frank's shoulder and moves onto his hands and knees. Frank leans up to kiss him as Gerard runs his hand down Grant's back._ _ _ _

____"Gonna take care of you," Gerard murmurs. Grant shivers and looks over his shoulder. Gerard's eyes are shining with - love, desire, humor. All three._ _ _ _

____"Gerard," he whispers. Gerard leans down and kisses the small of his back._ _ _ _

____Frank's hands slide over Grant's shoulders, down his torso. "So fucking pretty," he tells them. He sounds so fucking...sated. And his smile... Christ, Grant's a sap for these two. Gerard strokes his hands over Grant's hips, his thighs, his ass. And then there's the sound of the lube being opened and Gerard's fingers sliding down and over his entrance._ _ _ _

____Grant can't hold back a gasp. It's been a long fucking time._ _ _ _

____"Breathe," Gerard tells him. Grant does, deeply, looking at Frank as Gerard slowly pushes his finger inside. Fuck, that's good. "Tight," Gerard murmurs, pressing a kiss to the swell of Grant's ass._ _ _ _

____"Last time I was fucked I still had hair," Grant jokes shakily. It's an exaggeration, but not much of one._ _ _ _

____Frank pushes up to kiss him again and Gerard strokes his free hand over Grant's back. "We'll take care of you," he repeats._ _ _ _

____"I know, loves," he says. Gerard pushes in a second finger, and Grant just breathes. He'd forgotten how fucking easy he is for this. He loves every moment when it's with someone he loves. He nearly forgot._ _ _ _

____Frank grins up at him. "Good?" He just nods and groans his approval when Gerard thrusts his fingers._ _ _ _

____"He loves this part," Frank murmurs. "Loves using his fingers to drive you insane." Just then, Gerard slides his fingers over Grant's prostate._ _ _ _

____"Fuck," Grant moans. "Oh, hell. Gerard."_ _ _ _

____"He told you not to come yet," Frank whispers. "Don't make him get pissy, or he'll just tease more." He sounds like he knows firsthand._ _ _ _

____"I won't," he says and pushes back against Gerard's fingers. He wants more._ _ _ _

____"Not quite yet," Gerard purrs. "Almost, though. You like this, don't you?"_ _ _ _

____"Yes, fuck, yes."_ _ _ _

____"You should see his face," Frank murmurs._ _ _ _

____"Someday, this will be you, and I will," Gerard says. He removes his fingers and Grant gasps when he comes back with a third._ _ _ _

____"Distract me," Grant murmurs._ _ _ _

____Frank reaches up and runs gentle hands over Grant's face and chest. Grant closes his eyes and concentrates on Frank's hands, then leans down to kiss him hard. Frank bites at Grant's lip. It's enough of a shock to center him, bring him back from the edge. Frank's eyes sparkle. He's fucking enjoying this. "I am getting you back as soon as I can," Grant whispers._ _ _ _

____"Be my guest," Frank replies. "I'd like nothing better."_ _ _ _

____Whatever response Grant might have had to that is lost, because Gerard's fingers are suddenly gone. Before Grant can protest, he feels the head of Gerard's cock pressing against his opening. "Yes," he breathes._ _ _ _

____"Yes," Gerard echoes as he pushes in, sounding as lost in sensation as Grant feels._ _ _ _

____Frank keeps sliding his fingers over Grant's skin, murmuring soothing words. "He feels amazing, doesn't he?" All Grant can do is nod. Gerard pulls most of the way out before snapping his hips back, hard, and Grant gasps._ _ _ _

____"Do that again and I'll come," he breathes._ _ _ _

____"You too?" Gerard asks breathlessly. "Except, I want this to last a little longer. Fuck."_ _ _ _

____"Slow down," Frank tells him. Gerard puffs out a breath and folds himself down over Grant's back, burying his face between Grant's shoulder blades. Grant enjoys how his body feels. How Gerard's lips brush over his skin._ _ _ _

____At length, Gerard starts rolling his hips in a slow, steady rhythm. It's still overwhelming, but at least Grant no longer feels like he's about to go off at any moment. Frank leans up and kisses him again, more softly, smoothing his hands up and down Grant's thighs. Gerard reaches around Grant's body and takes his cock in hand. He doesn't start stroking, just holds and it feels perfect._ _ _ _

____Grant lets the feeling wash over him like a wave. Fuck, he loves them._ _ _ _

____"Grant, I have to -" Gerard whimpers._ _ _ _

____"Do it. Fuck me, Gerard," Grant gasps._ _ _ _

____Gerard starts thrusting. Frank's hands wrap around the back of Grant's head and pull him down.  
Grant closes his eyes and lets go. Frank's lips are against his and Gerard's hand stroking his cock and Grant comes hard, moaning loud. _ _ _ _

____"Fuck, yes," Gerard gasps, "oh fuck, Grant, love you so fucking much-" Grant feels Gerard's hips snap forward once, twice, and then Gerard is gasping and coming, too. Christ, it feels good. He can't breathe._ _ _ _

____"So fucking good," he says when he can finally catch his breath. "Love."_ _ _ _

____"Fuck, yeah," Frank says, grinning against his mouth. "That was so fucking hot."_ _ _ _

____Gerard's hands on his hips are still holding tightly. Grant slides his tongue over Frank's bottom lip. He doesn't even try to hold in the whimper he makes when Gerard pulls out. Frank wraps his arms around Grant's waist and tugs him down, and Grant goes, gladly. A moment later, Gerard is tucked up against their sides. He wraps his arms around Grant and tugs him down so he's cradled between them._ _ _ _

____He's rarely felt this loved in his life and it feels impossibly wonderful. He's almost afraid to speak for fear of breaking the spell. Gerard's long fingers trace absent patterns up and down Grant's chest. Artist's fingers. "You feel amazing," Gerard tells him; he smiles and it's one of his disarmingly sweet and happy smiles. Grant has to lean in and kiss him. He just has to._ _ _ _

____It's slow and lingering, and when they pull apart, Frank says, "I'd like to get used to falling asleep like this."_ _ _ _

____Grant gives him a kiss of his own. "This seems like the perfect time to start."_ _ _ _

____"Definitely," Frank replies happily. "And Gerard can make us pancakes for breakfast and then we can go finish up with the boat. And then we don't have another charter for like, a week."_ _ _ _

____"Whatever shall we do with all that time?" Grant asks, raising an eyebrow. Gerard laughs at them._ _ _ _

____"He'll wear you out if you give him an inch," Gerard warns him._ _ _ _

____Grant can only laugh. "Yes, Gerard. Because you refuse so often, you little nympho."_ _ _ _

____Gerard has the good grace to look sheepish, but there's a devilish glint in his eyes. "Good thing we've got you to help us out with that now, huh."_ _ _ _

____"A very good thing," Frank answers._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____***_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Frank drums his fingers against the steering wheel of the jeep. Grant's plane is still fifteen minutes out and Frank is pretty sure he's going to go totally batshit. But he and Gerard couldn't wait at the house any longer. Grant's been away two months, and even though Frank gets that these times apart are necessary, they still fucking suck._ _ _ _

____Frank's hands-on. Thank fuck he's had Gerard. Grant must be going crazy too. Had sounded increasingly impatient each time he called over the past week. He _had_ been pleased when they told him they'd had a fucking huge package delivered, addressed to him. He'd told them not to open it without him, which made _both_ of them even more insane with curiosity. _ _ _ _

____They hit the airfield and park. There's a small group already gathered: staff from the resort waiting for guests, a few people waiting for cargo. He and Gerard get out, lean against the Jeep, and watch the skies._ _ _ _

____Gerard slips his hand into Frank's. "We get him for months this time," he says._ _ _ _

____Frank squeezes Gerard's hand and grins at him. "Yeah, we do." It's going to be amazing. It always is, especially these days. And they have a number of increasingly frantic and filthy phone conversations to make good on._ _ _ _

____Right now, he'd be happy to just get his arms around Grant. He can't even hear the whir of the plane engines yet. Gerard slings an arm around Frank's waist and kisses his ear. "Running away to the tropics was a good fucking idea, baby."_ _ _ _

____"Worked for the Beach Boys," Frank mumbles, nuzzling Gerard back._ _ _ _

____Gerard laughs and squeezes Frank around the waist. Just then, the sound of engines reaches their ears. They've waited here for Grant two dozen times since that first meeting. But in the past year and a half, it's gotten a lot harder to just stand here and watch as the plane comes in to land._ _ _ _

____"Next time we're going with him," Frank grumbles._ _ _ _

____"Definitely," Gerard says fervently. "We'll freeze."_ _ _ _

____"It's a good thing there's three of us, then. Makes huddling for warmth even warmer," Frank jokes. There are reasons they'd decided to stay on the island while Grant went away to finalize the contracts for his latest book. Good ones, reasons that they'd discussed at length. But right at this moment, can't fucking remember what they were._ _ _ _

____Gerard squeezes him tighter as the plane approaches. Finally, it lands. And then taxis down the runway. And then everyone in the fucking world gets off before Grant. Finally, Frank sees a familiar face coming down the stairs._ _ _ _

____"Grant," he breathes. He's wearing a new stupid shirt and Frank's favorite white jeans. Frank debates running and jumping, but decides to play it cool. Grant strides toward them, a huge grin on his face._ _ _ _

____Frank gives up playing it cool when he's about five feet away and flings himself into Grant's arms. "Hello, love," Grant breathes into his hair, hugging him tightly._ _ _ _

____"I am not a fan of the leaving," Frank says into his neck._ _ _ _

____"Nor am I," Grant replies._ _ _ _

____"We're coming with you next time. We decided," Gerard says._ _ _ _

____"I like this plan," Grant tells them. He tilts Frank's face up and claims a kiss. Frank feels himself breathe easier now that they have Grant with them. He pulls back a little reluctantly so Gerard can take his turn. Gerard clings to Grant for a minute. Fuck, they both missed him so damn much._ _ _ _

____"Take me home?" Grant asks, after he and Gerard finally break apart._ _ _ _

____"Guess we can. If only to get the giant box off our porch," Gerard teases._ _ _ _

____"That box is a compromise," Grant says with a wide grin._ _ _ _

____Frank hauls him in for another kiss; he can't fucking help it, Grant's smile has that effect on him.  
"Missed you missed you missed you," he murmurs. "Found a new favorite swimming spot. I want to take you there." _ _ _ _

____"You can take me anywhere," Grant jokes._ _ _ _

____"You know it," Frank says and they get in the Jeep. Frank takes the back and leans up close. Grant fills the drive with talk about his time in New York and LA on book business, and his visit home to Scotland before that. Frank reaches up to hook his fingers around Grant's elbow, and Grant looks back at him and smiles._ _ _ _

____Gerard parks in their driveway and they pile out. Frank grabs Grant's luggage and when they get inside, Grant shoves him up against the door and kisses him hard. Frank lets go of the handles on the luggage and wraps his arms around Grant tightly. Gerard presses up against their sides, scattering kisses wherever he can reach. "So glad you're home," he murmurs._ _ _ _

____"Do you want to open your present now?" Grant asks._ _ _ _

____Frank tugs at his belt buckle. "Yes."_ _ _ _

____Grant laughs. "I meant the box out front, but I suppose I won't argue with this if it's what you want."_ _ _ _

____"This first," Gerard agrees, fingers already tangling in the hem of his shirt to pull it off. Frank just grins at Grant and helps Gerard strip him. He's already breathing hard, just seeing familiar skin he's missed for so long._ _ _ _

____They don't even make it to the bedroom. Frank drops to his knees and blows Grant right there in front of the front door. After, Gerard pulls Frank up and presses him against the wall, and Grant jacks him off. And then it's Grant on his knees, for Gerard. At least it takes the edge off, but Frank is far from done._ _ _ _

____Now they can have dinner and talk a little more before an early bedtime. But first… "Okay, lets see about that box," he says._ _ _ _

____Grant grins at him, big and happy. "Now, you'll have to bear with me. It might be a bit mad, but..."_ _ _ _

____"But consider the source?" Gerard asks._ _ _ _

____Grant rolls his eyes and Frank laughs. He goes into the kitchen to get a knife and pulls open the front door. "I wish you wouldn't do that," Gerard grumbles._ _ _ _

____"I am not opening this big ass box with my keys and you lost the box cutter," Frank returns._ _ _ _

____It takes a few minutes to fight through the cardboard and get the box open. Frank turns away to set the knife somewhere out of the way, so Gerard takes him by surprise when he says, "You bought us a sex swing?"_ _ _ _

____Grant laughs. "Not precisely."_ _ _ _

____Frank peers at it. "It's a hanging bed. Sounds like a sex swing to me."_ _ _ _

____"You are both incorrigible," Grant says. "It is an alternative to a hammock that should be more stable for concerned parties."_ _ _ _

____"I don't know how I feel about this," Gerard says, instinctively inching back a little._ _ _ _

____"For me, love?" Grant murmurs, reaching out and curling his hands around Gerard's waist._ _ _ _

____"For you," Gerard replies._ _ _ _

____"It won't toss you out, at least," Frank says with a grin and starts pulling out parts. "Back yard, or front?" he thinks to ask before he gets too far._ _ _ _

____"I thought front," Grant admits._ _ _ _

____"The view," Gerard guesses._ _ _ _

____"Precisely," Grant replies._ _ _ _

____"Well, it's _definitely_ not a sex swing if it's in the front," Frank says and lifts the frame out of the box. _ _ _ _

____"If it was in the back, we'd still get shit from Shaun," Gerard points out._ _ _ _

____"He's just jealous," Frank replies._ _ _ _

____Gerard smiles. "We have a lot to be jealous of."_ _ _ _

____"True enough," Grant agrees, wrapping his arms around Gerard's waist._ _ _ _

____Frank's hands are full of anchors and fasteners, but he can't stop looking at them. Gerard's roots are starting to grow out and Grant has five o'clock shadow over his head and face and they're so beautiful he can hardly breathe. Ten years ago, Frank would never have predicted this life he has now, but he will never fucking regret it._ _ _ _

____It takes them the better part of an hour to get the not-hammock set up. Once the frame is in place, Frank heads inside to start dinner, figuring that Grant and Gerard can handle the rest. Jersey and Scottish accents arguing good-naturedly over who's worse with tools. It's music to his ears._ _ _ _

____After dinner, Grant and Gerard each grab one of his hands and tug him back outside. The hanging bed is fully constructed and it looks like the nicest fucking place on earth to be. Grant gets on first and Frank follows. Gerard spends half a beat staring suspiciously at the frame and then gingerly climbs on._ _ _ _

____"Oh!" He says. "This is...."_ _ _ _

____"Indeed," Grant laughs, slinging an arm around Gerard to pull him close. The bed sways a little at the movement, but slow and steady, like a wave._ _ _ _

____"You have good ideas," Frank tells Grant, kissing his cheek._ _ _ _

____"You two are still the best idea I ever had," Grant replies._ _ _ _

____Frank rubs his face against Grant's chest. He can't argue with that._ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Go listen to the mix by erikasue [here](http://fleurdeliser.dreamwidth.org/185607.html)


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